Abyss
by Twilit Lady of Majesty
Summary: Touko is called upon by N once again to do another 'meaningless' task for him; except this time, her usual escort of one of N's servants, has been replaced with Red. Rating may change. RedxTouko
1. Chapter 1

Touko throws her head back in exasperation," You're kidding me, right?" Her eyes blaze with anger, and her fists are clenched tightly to themselves. She leans against the table while yelling.

"Sadly, no. I'm dead serious," I state, giving her a firm look.

"So you're telling me, that I have to go all the way to Johto, just to get medicine?!" She yells, her voice peaking in volume. Touko's hair has quickly escaped the rubber-band used to hold it; Several strands float just centimeters from her face.

"I'm afraid so my dear," I sympathize, giving her an apologetic smile.

"Well-" She hesitates,"Well why can't you just get one of your servants to do it for you?! They pestered me all the way to the Elite Four!" She screams, slamming a fist onto the table. The teen's face has quickly turned red; it's shiny with tears of aggravation and anger.

"I must apologize Miss Touko, but that just can't happen," I explain, attempting to keep my voice formal, I feel the need to yell at her more, each and every moment that passes,"You see, you actually have trained Pokemon. You have gone through the trials of a well experienced trainer, and this task should be a no-brainer for you." She throws me a sarcastic look, sticking her tongue out.

"Fine then," she says," but this is the only thing I'll do for you, N!" I watch her storm out of the room, slamming the door behind her. I wait in silence as I listen to her footsteps fade down the corridor. When they finally melt into the sound of the radiator and flickering lights, I lay my head on the meeting desk before me. How I only wish that Touko was easier to handle.

-Touko-

I rush down the hall, flicking hot tears of anger away from my face. I hate N when he does this. Just throwing meaningless tasks at me in the hopes that I'll comply - which I always do.

I stomp with as much force as humanly possible as I proceed down the hall in attempts to annoy nearby servants or sages. The white linoleum floor causes the sound of my footsteps to be magnified. The mingling echoes around me satisfy my anger in a way only achievable by stomping.

"If you only saw it my way," I whisper furiously. I pull tears away from my cheeks which leave wet smears behind.

The elevator at the end of the hall is quickly approaching. I can hear the successful ding as it passes my floor. I grunt in aggravation, and stop by the doors. The scent of fresh metal and cleaning supplies lingers in the air here. The smell soothes me, but only slightly.

I smash the elevator button repeatedly, never enough to my satisfaction. I hear another ding, and the doors slide open, revealing a carpeted floor, and Red waiting for me.

I glare at him, a dissatisfactory scowl instantly forming on my face. "Hello _Red_," I throw at him, glaring once and then completely avoiding eye contact.

"Good evening Miss Touko," He greets, his face firm.

"Are you my escort for this task?" I question, taking my place in the far corner of the elevator. My eyes shift to the flashing numbers above the doors.

"Indeed, for the first time in months in fact," Red states, obviously disappointed that he was assigned to me.

"Oh yes, I remember, you were my escort for my very first mission! What a joy it is to have you here again," I say sarcastically, glaring at him. We didn't exactly have the best time on my first mission. Let's just say, Caterpies aren't Red's favorite Pokemon.

"Agreed, Miss Touko," He says, his voice solid, just like his expression.

"So, have you been enjoying life so far?" I ask, unnerved by the silence he left me in just moments ago. His expression softens for a split second, and then returns to its original state.

"I suppose," He says, his voice clipped. I nod, and return to studying the lights and buttons displayed in front of me.

We stand in silence for several floors, the numbers dropping from forty to ten.

"Before we exit, I would like to inform you, that the task at hand is in fact _vital_ for King N," Red states.

"How?" I ask, the statement piquing my curiosity.

"It's needed for something of great importance Miss Touko," He says, completely ignoring my question. I don't want to make him explain more than he needs to. I'm not I the mood for a ten minute lecture on the word important.

"Okay, thank you," I say, looking at him. He's facing straight forward, his hands held firmly at his sides.

"My pleasure," He replies, his face expressionless.

As I anticipate the ding of the final floor, the I feel Red move next to me.

"What are you doing?" I ask, as I watch him shuffle through the bag on his back.

"I'm searching for Pidgeotto," He says, pulling out a pokeball. He tosses it in his hand once, and then closes the bag. He returns to his original stance just as the doors slide open.

"Well, looks like we gotta go now," I say, stepping out. He nods quickly, and follows me. The doors shut behind him, and he begins to walk.

As we approach the glass doors at the entrance, I begin to fumble through my bag. I need to find Swanna before we leave.

"You will be riding with me Miss Touko," Red explains, looking down at me. I give him a frown, the temptation to stick my tongue out is enormous.

"Why?" I ask, stopping before we reach the doors.

"Because we will be flying between regions, and N doesn't wasn't you to get lost," Red explains, rolling his eyes. He pulls a strand of hair away from his face.

"Fine then," I agree, crossing my arms.

There wasn't much of anything outside of the castle. Just a small area of grass to surround the castle and an old beaten up stone pathway, leading off the edge of the island. The air is chilly, my breath is visible against the white lights brightening the inside, and outside, of N's castle.

"I'm afraid to inform you, that this is going to be an overnight flight. So make sure you have a jacket because it gets quite cold," Red explains, leading me to the end of the path.

"If you say so," I reply, pulling my jacket out of my bag. When I successfully put on my jacket, Red turns toward the sea. He tosses the pokeball lightly, as if it was nothing, and Pidgeotto appears.

"Pidgeotto, we need to go to Cianwood City," He whispers to the Pokemon, softly petting its head,"Don't drop Miss Touko okay, N needs her to return safely with the medicine."

I glare over at him, but he doesn't notice. He ruffled the feathers on Pidgeoto's head, and then climbs on.

"Come on Miss Touko, we have to leave now if N wants the medicine by Thursday," He says, waving me over.

"Thursday?!" I ask as I approach the Pokemon. It doesn't seem reluctant to let me on. I jump onto its back, just behind Red.

"Indeed, Thursday, and Miss Touko, if you ever feel that you are going to fall, feel free to use me as balance," He says. I frown, giving him an unpleasant face to look at, and he turns forward.

"Are you ready to leave?" Red asks, keeping his face forward.

"I guess," I say, rolling my eyes. He nods silently, in reply, but only after he finished petting Pidgeotto's head.

"Let's go Pidgeotto!" He says, patting the bird Pokemon's side. It stays silent, but does as told. It flaps it's wings in place for a moment, and then takes off, flying at a slow but steady pace.

_A/N_

_Lol so I updated this chapter, the thought of poor writing quality was eating at me (lol it's probably not any better, but whatever) so haha thanks for reading guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, have a nice day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

-Touko-

I struggle to keep my eyes open as Red and I soar through the sky on Pidgeotto's back. The navy-blue sky is accompanied by the light sparkle of stars.

My eyes focus on Red's shadowy figure in front of me. He sits with perfect posture, his back straight, and his head up as if he's expecting to see something besides ocean and the sky.

"Are you okay back there?" Red asks, genuine concern flowing through his voice," you've been awfully quiet." I frown, and flick my eyes away from his back.

"I'm fine," I reply, keeping my voice short and emotionless. He doesn't reply, but I see him slouch down a bit. I let a quiet yawn escape my mouth, and allow a shiver to run down my spine.

"Miss Touko, if you're tired, feel free to sleep, this flight will be taking awhile," Red says, looking at me over his shoulder. From what I can tell, he was smiling.

"Okay," I snap at him, dismissing the conversation immediately. The last thing I want to do is be asleep on the back of a flying Pokemon.

After what felt like hours of silence and freezing temperatures, the sun begins to peek over the horizon. I can't help but smile, the sight is beautiful.

The deep blue waves of the ocean, accented by the reflecting sunlight, accompanied by the red sky is amazing. The few wispy clouds laying across the sky help create various shades of orange, pink, and yellow.

"Isn't it amazing," I say in a sigh.

"Absolutely," Red replies, he doesn't sound the least bit tired.

"I love how the-" I catch myself, Red is not a friend. I was forced to go on this trip with him.

"You love how the what?" He asks, hoping that I'll continue my thought.

"Nothing," I reply, looking over my shoulder. Several Wingull trail behind us.

"What is with you? I know you don't want to be here, but you don't have to be so rude," Red complains, glaring at me over his shoulder. His eyes are swirling with confusion and aggravation.

"I'm just tired," I make up an excuse, at least I finally get to allow myself to sleep.

"Well, we'll be in Cianwood in about a day, so sleeping is probably good to do," He explains, his voice slowly returning to the usual "emotionless yet commanding".

"So, how would I go about sleeping on the back of Pidgeotto? I mean, it's flying, and there's a chance of me falling off," I ask, suddenly beginning to worry. There are too many dangers involved with sleeping up here.

"Well, you can either wrap your arms around my waist, or we can switch spots and you sit in the front where it's possible to sit down comfortably," He explains, glancing over his shoulder with raised eyebrows.

"Would you care if I chose to switch spots?" I ask, giving a false apologetic smile.

"Not at all," He says, his voice completely relaxed. His eyes say that he's content with the current situation.

We slowly do an awkward sitting down shuffle to switch spots, as standing up would be too much of a danger. I avoid his eyes as we move past each other, I don't want to make it seem like I'm happy with this.

When I reach the front where I'll be sitting, a shiver instantly runs through me. I guess I didn't realize how much of the wind and cold Red blocked for me.

"But the thing is Miss Touko, you'll have to lean back into me, if you wish to sleep laying down," Red explains. I instantly stiffen. Physical contact with him is unavoidable at this point.

Although I don't want to, I lean backwards until I feel my head hit what must be his jacket. A sudden wave of tiredness washes over me, and I quickly fall to sleep.

_A/N-_

_Dear lord I was gone for a long time *rolls eyes* almost five months! Well, here's chapter two, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy New Year you guys, and thanks for reading!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**-N-**

Thoughts fly through my mind as I stare impatiently at the clock. Red and Touko should hopefully be back in three days. As I glance at the phone, who's buttons have lit up with a light green glow, hurried footsteps sound from the hall. The phone rings and the door bursts open.

"Master N, we need your help immediately down at the lab," A young lady says, her strawberry-blonde hair falling from a bun.

"And your name is?" I ask, intrigued by the sudden need for my presence. The phone rings again, and I snatch it up before it gets a chance to make another noise.

"My name is-" I hold up a finger, telling the guest to wait a moment.

"Master N, you're needed down here at the laboratory," and then the phone hangs up.

My eyes shift back to the lady," you may now speak."

"My name is Hallie," She says, her voiced rushed and our of breath.

"What's going on in the laboratory?" I ask, clasping my fingers together and resting my head on them.

"The Pokemon- they've gotten worse."

**-Touko-**

My eyes flutter open to the sight of Red peering down at me, a slight smile adorning his face. I scramble to sit up, and glare over my shoulder at him.

"We're almost to Cianwood," he informs. I roll my eyes and nod.

"That's good," I say, turning back forwards.

"We'll be staying the night there, after we get the medicine, and we'll leave the next morning," Red explains.

"Okay, that's fine I guess," I reply, watching the S.S. Anne pass under us. It seems small yet majestic from this height, pressing it's way forward through the water. I've always wanted to ride on the S.S. Anne, it's been a dream of mine since childhood.

"Miss Touko, you have you're Pokemon with you, right?" Red asks, concern filling his voice.

"I believe so, yes," I reply, keeping my eyes focused on the ship below us.

"May I ask which ones?"

"With me at the current moment, I have Reshiram, Gurdurr, Rotom, Servine, and Metagross," I say, counting each one on my fingers.

"You only have five with you?" He asks, I turn to look at him, at he's leaning forward as if he's extremely interested in the conversation.

"Yeah, I left Swanna in the PC because it was getting kinda tired," I reply, turning forward. An island is coming into view over the horizon, and unexpected excitement begins to run through me. Although I didn't want to come on this trip in the first place, I'm truly very excited to finally visit another region.

"Miss Touko, we should reach Cianwood city in a matter of minutes, I suggest making sure you have all of your things," Red says.

"Red, I think we should switch spots, I don't know your Pidgeotto that well, and I don't want to be responsible for it if we get hurt while landing," I explain, giving him a worried look. He nods in understanding. After waiting a moment, we do our awkward sitting down shuffle to return to our original spots.

"The culture here is different," Red states, no emotion in his voice.

"Really?" I ask, instantly intrigued.

"Yeah, they don't rely on technology as much here. It's actually quite peaceful sometimes, _if_ you know the right place to go," he explains, his mouth forming small smile of nostalgia.

The rest of the flight passes quickly, and I feel like it took us just five more minutes to reach Cianwood.

Pidgeotto lands with grace, the impact with the ground not even noticeable. Red slides off the side if Pidgeotto, and extends a hand to help me off.

"I think I can get off myself," I say. He looks up at me, and nods.

I peer over the side of the Pokemon as I scoot close to the edge. The ground is farther away than I thought. After waiting a few more moments, I push myself off. The ground comes quickly, quicker than expected, and I land on my face.

"Miss Touko," Red says. I turn my head towards him, and pull a few strands of hair out of my face. He's holding a hand out to me, attempting to help me up.

"Red, seriously, I'm fine," I say, an I pull myself off the ground, only dusting off some dirt and sand.

"If you say so," He says, rolling his eyes," we should probably go get the medicine now."

"Yeah," I reply.

_A/N_

_Haha hey guys- I've got great inspiration for the next chapter, so lol yeah, I'm mega excited to write/post it. Hmm, lol excuse the awkward OC name, I had difficulties thinking one up... But whatever, happy Thursday, thanks for reading, and have a great day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Magesty_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

-Touko-

The few people milling about outside turn their heads in awe as me and Red pass. They appear as foreigners to me, so to them I must appear as completely insane. My clothes are so multicolored and, what we consider normal in Unova, but they wear much simpler clothes. A white dress, or a pair of jeans with a button down shirt. I probably look like a complete freak.

As I trail behind Red, I catch a smell of what must be his fading cologne. It's warm smelling, almost comforting. I shake my head, clearing my head of the thought of Red. He is only my escort.

We approach a small house made of wood, two windows are in front, a door in the middle.

"Well, here's the pharmacy," Red says, hesitating before placing a hand on the door handle. He opens the door, taking his time to step inside.

When I finally get a chance to make my way into the pharmacy, I'm instantly overwhelmed by the various sweet smells attacking my nose. The hideous smell can't be perfectly described, it's almost like cheap perfume mixed with vanilla scented candles, and some roses.

"Welcome you two," the lady at the counter greets, a fake smile plastered over her obvious boredom.

"I'm here for Master N," Red says, keeping his words short and emotionless.

"Ahh, yes, let me go check the storage closet for your order," the lady says, rushing off in a flurry of scented perfume.

"It smells terrible here," I mutter, scrunching up my nose. I hear Red chuckle.

"Get used to it," He replies, laughter playing in his voice. He holds a small amount of regret in his eyes.

The lady walks back out, her arms full of bags full of what must be N's medicine. "Here's your order sir," She says, grunting as she drops the bags on the glass counter. Reid's face has lost any expression from before.

"Thank you," He says, dropping money on the counter. He scoops up the bags as if they weigh nothing, and heads for the door. I follow close behind him, glancing only once back at the woman. Confusion is written all over her face.

-N-

My footsteps echo down the hall as I rush to the lab. The woman who was apparently sent to get me, Hallie her name is, is stumbling close behind me, the high pitched click of her heels mingling with the flat sound of my shoes.

"N, it's been complete madness without you down here. The head servant has been hiring anyone that walks in. It's terrible," She explains in between uneven breaths. I don't reply, and she didn't seem to have an issue with that. My hair is falling out of it's usual ponytail, so I yank the small band off, and allow my hair to fall over my shoulders and then behind me. We take a quickly left turn to be quickly met with the door to the laboratory.

"Okay Master N, you need to sanitize your hands and put on a jacket before entering," She says, doing so herself. I nod, and proceed to wash my hands in a sink by the door. A closet to the left holds jackets, which Hallie takes two of. She hands me one, and I give her a smile of appreciation, causing her to smile and blush lightly.

After a few moments of preparing to enter, she turns and looks at me,"Now Master N, don't be angry, or sad when you see what shape the Pokemon are in. We've tried everything, but nothing has worked," She explains, her eyes full of worry. I nod in understanding, and in reply, she turns and opens the door.

_A/N_

_Hehehehehehehe it's a short chapter hehehehehe I bet that made you angry :D but lol, I just didn't want to spoil things to quickly, and I wanted to continue Touko and Red's adventure together (Gahh they're so adorable!)... So guys, thanks for reading, good night, and... Happy Friday!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Where are we going now, Red?" I ask, peering over his shoulder at the bags of medicine.

"My house," he replies, his voice soft.

"Your house?" I wonder aloud. His eyes are fogged over, I'm unable to tell what emotions could be blocking just under the surface. Red nods slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching downwards.

We continue in silence along the sandy ground, my eyes focusing on every person we pass. They return the stare, just as when we arrived.

Red's pace begins to slow as we approach a small house. It looks like it could be cozy, a window and one door occupy the front side of the house. Several small potted plants sit around the outside, their dead leaves sitting around the new sprouts.

I glance over at Red, and he's dropped the medicine on the ground to search through his bag. His expression is worried as the search grows furiously.

"What are you looking for?" I ask. Stupid question. It's obviously the key to his house.

"My key," He replies, distracted by his search,"Touko, I can't find it," he hesitates,"sorry, I meant, Miss Touko."

I laugh quietly,"Red, don't you have one hidden somewhere outside of your house?" A relived smile instantly pops onto his face.

"I forgot!" He says, rushing towards the smallest potted plant. He places both hands on the porcelain flower pot, picks it up, and there lies the key.

"Thank god," Red mutters under his breath. He snatches the key up in a single swift movement, and then returns the flower pot to its original position. I approach where he left the bags of medicine, and then shift my focus to Red.

"Do you wish for me to carry these in for you?" I asked, a bit of compassion could never hurt.

"No, I got it," He says, joy melting away the frost he had over his eyes just moments before. I nod, and instantly regret asking him. I can't show him I care. Haha Touko, what were you thinking? Asking to help Red? Hah, what a ridiculous thought.

Red steps up to the door, and inserts the key. A smile is creeping onto his face.

"Welcome to my house," Red says, opening the door. He steps inside, and allows a sigh to escape his mouth.

When I step inside the smell of stale bread and old flowers drifts up to my nose. Red doesn't seem to notice, and to tell the truth, the smell isn't as bad as it seems.

"Feel free make yourself at home, the bathroom's down the hall and to the left, and if you need clothes, there should be a closet full of feminine clothes in the bedroom back there," He explains, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. I nod in understanding.

While shutting the door behind me, I look around the house. It's much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside. A couch and love seat sit in a rectangular formation in the corner of the room, a table with two small wooden stools are arranged on the opposite side of the room, and a messy kitchen is pressed up against the wall in front of it.

Red drifts over to the couch, his eyes suddenly fogged over again. A small frown is smeared across his mouth. I drop my bag by door, and take a spot on the love seat. Red glances over at me.

"So how do you like Johto so far?" He asks, avoiding my eyes.

"It's wonderful," I say, giving him a large smile. He doesn't notice.

"Cool," He says, obviously disinterested in what I'm saying. I roll my eyes and allow myself to rest against the cushion.

"Well I think I'll go take a shower now," I say, wanting to escape the sudden awkward silence. Red nods, and doesn't move from his current position.

-N-

The sight was horrifying. Pokemon were each held separate from each other, each looking like the definition of death.

"Are they dead?" I ask, tears forming in my eyes.

"No, gladly, but I bet they wish they were. From what we have observed, they've been getting worse by the hour. Some have even had to be fed by hand, others won't even move," Hallie explains, her eyes shimmering with tears. I'm not sure whether I should be relieved that they're still alive, or extremely concerned that they're becoming unresponsive.

"Hallie!" A young man shouts, running up to her. His face full of worry,"We need you back in the medicine room!" The strawberry-blonde nods, her face suddenly full of determination.

"Master N, I need to go," She says, looking to me for approval.

"Proceed," I agree, giving her a small smile. She blushes, and runs off with the man. I stand awkwardly in front of the door until another young man approaches me.

"Master N," He says, black hair covering his left right eye. A streak of green runs down the middle.

"Hello, and who might you be?" I ask, already annoyed by this child.

"David," He explains, rolling his eyes.

"Is there something that you needed?" I ask, hoping that _David_ will go away.

"Hallie told me to escort you around the lab," He explains, sounding disappointed by the assigned task.

"Great! I was just looking for someone," I say, glaring at him. Why does Hallie need someone to escort me. I'm a grown man, and a _king._ Why should I need someone hovering over my shoulder all the time. It's my castle, my laboratory.

"Cool, well I guess I'll just follow you around," He explains.

"I don't need an _escort_," I say, increasing my glare at the boy. He doesn't flinch backwards, in fact, he leans in closer. I can smell the peppermint gum he's chewing.

"Hallie, told me, to, _escort_, you. Are you _trying_, to get me _fired_?" He asks, returning my glare.

"In fact, _David_, maybe I am!" I shout, stepping backwards.

"Well then, I think this calls for a Pokemon battle," David announces, pulling a pokeball out of his pocket.

"Fine. If I win, you're fired. If you win, you get to stay," I say, determination filling me.

"Hey! No battling inside the laboratory!" A monitoring servant shouts from across the room.

"Well, I guess we better take this outside," I say, turning and leaving the room.

When I reach the small patch of grass outside the castle (since the lab is located right by the front entrance), David soon follows, his face red with anger.

"You're goin' down!" He says.

"Hah, what a petty thought!" I shout back, laughing.

"Okay okay, one rule thought you can only use one Pokemon," He says, glaring at me.

"I'm the king, _I _make the rules," I say, returning his glare with a look of disgust,"Two Pokemon."

"_Fine_," He agrees, rolling his eyes.

"Go Lapras!" He shouts, tossing a pokeball in the air. Lapras appears and the ball returns to his hand. David then proceeds to search his pockets until he locates another pokeball,"and Meganium!" An oversized Meganium appears next to Lapras.

"Hey, woah, you're not allowed to use genetically engineered Pokemon!" I say, glaring at him.

"Too bad!" He replies, sticking his tongue out at me. I shoot a glare at him, and then retrieve two pokeballs from my pockets.

"Go Ampharos! Umbreon!" I yell, throwing both pokeballs at once. His expression quivers for a moment, but quickly returns to a solid determination.

"Hah, you're no match for me," He taunts, laughing. He whispers something to both Pokemon, and they nod, getting ready to battle.

_A/N_

_Aaaaaaaand the chapter's over... Was this one long enough for you? It wasn't? Well too bad, the battle will be in the next chapter, so don't worry... Lol genetically engineered Pokemon. Lol why didn't N just fire David on the spot. Because then we wouldn't have a storrrryyyyyy *shrug* lol thanks for reading, and have a nice day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

-Touko-

The feeling of the warm water running over me is soothing. I feel as though it helps me forget everything and not be so stressed. I turn the water as hot as possible, allowing it to turn my skin red, quickly following that by making it freezing. The sense of relief is amazing, yet when the icy water begins to get through the barrier of warmth, you become desperate to get warm again. I keep it on freezing, hoping that I'll get used to the temperature soon enough.

After several more minutes of standing in freezing water, I shut it off. When I step out from behind the transparent glass doors, a sudden realization hits me. I don't have any clothes. I glance around, and I see the clothes I was wearing before, but they're covered with sand and dirt. I sigh, and grab a towel, wrapping it around myself. I hesitate behind the door, listening for footsteps. Silence is the only thing audible. I place a hand on the door knob and twist it, pulling the door open. Red isn't anywhere to be seen. I allow a quiet sigh of relief to escape my mouth. I glance back and forth, looking for where the bedroom could be, not to my right, that way leads to the main part of the house, but not to my left, the only thing there is a closet. I grunt in aggravation, and tighten my grip on the towel around me. Just to be sure, I open the closet, only to be met by a few old electric appliances and some books. I quietly shut the door, and peek around the corner of the hallway. Red doesn't appear to be there.

I step out into the open, my towel the only thing covering me, in the hope of finding clothes to wear. My eyes scan the room for any extra hallways or doors I must have not seen before. Nothing but the hallway leading to Red's room, and there's _no_ way I'm going there. My eyes shift behind me to the bathroom. Maybe I should just put my other clothes on and go shopping later. I nod, and turn back to the bathroom, hoping that I can make it back before Red appears.

The sound of footsteps come from outside the front door, followed by the sound of a key unlocking it. I jump for the bathroom, and slam the door behind me, just as Red enters the house.

"Touko?" He asks, surely looking in the bathroom's direction.

I wait a moment before replying,"Yes Red?"

"What are you doing?" He asks, I hear him set bags down somewhere, probably the counter.

"What do you mean? I'm getting dressed," I say, dropping the towel and snatching up my clothes.

"But I thought I heard a door slam when I walked in," He replies.

"Haha, that's weird, it must have been your imagination," I say, beginning to pull on my clothes. They smell of the ocean and sand.

"Are you sure, because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't-"

"I'm positive Red, I've been in here the entire time," I say, cutting him off. I pull my shirt on over my head, and wipe the condensation off of the mirror.

"If you say so," He replies, his voice a bit quieter than before. I snatch my hat off the floor, and check my hair in the mirror. There's nothing I can do to it at the moment, it's still wet from my shower. I check my clothes, and brush off any remaining sand before exiting the bathroom.

"Hey Red," I start, stepping around the corner,"can we go shopping for clothes later?" I ask. I glance over and several brown plastic bags sit on the counter, filled with what I hope is food.

"Maybe, if I feel up to it. Returning here has kinda been a shock to me," He replies from the sofa.

"But you just came back from the store."

"Yeah, the pokemart. If you want to go clothes shopping we'll have to fly to Goldenrod city," He explains, a tired expression lingering on his face.

"So? That's not an issue is it? Goldenrod isn't that far away," I say. I don't even know where Goldenrod City is.

"Touko," Red sits up, looking at me,"it's in the middle of Johto! It'll take us at least two hours to get there, and it's already four in the afternoon. We'll have to spend the night in a hotel if you want to go clothes shopping." I groan in aggravation and begin digging through the bags, which I have discovered, have food in them.

"But I want clothes to show to Bianca," I whine, ready to begin a full-fledged temper tantrum. Red bought mostly vegetables, only a few sweets lay in the bottom of the bag, hidden beneath lettuce and broccoli.

"_Miss Touko_, we are here to get the medicine for N, and _nothing_ else. No matter how much you plead, we are _not_ flying all the way to Goldenrod to purchase things as meaningless as clothes," He says, hesitating for a moment," Haven't you seem me? I wear the same outfit every single day."

"Yeah, but it's different," I complain, grabbing a Rage Candy Bar, from the bottoms of the bag.

"Touko, it's final. We're staying here in Cianwood. If you want to go by yourself, go ahead. I won't stop you. Good luck flying SWANNA somewhere she doesn't know," He laughs mockingly.

A sigh escapes my mouth,"I left Swanna back in Unova..."

"Well, looks like you're stuck here with me," He says. I unwrap the chocolate, and break a square of it off. I put it in my mouth, and begin to chew. Several seconds, the chocolate flavor gets a spicy kick.

"Dear lord this is spicy," I say, looking at the wrapper.

"Yeah, it's the most popular candy here," He explains, examining the flowerpot which used to be on the table,"I got some so you could try it."

My anger has faded. Why has Red done such a nice task for me? "Thank you," I say, giving him a smile. He doesn't look at me, enthralled in whatever is in or on the flowerpot. I pout, and take another bite of the spicy candy bar, the sudden heat taking me by surprise once again.

-N-

I glare over at David, smiling in determination. This fool, challenging his king to a Pokemon battle. Hah, he'll surely lose.

"I'm king, so _I_ get first attack!" I shout, laughing. David glares, but nods in agreement.

"Ampharos use thunderbolt on Lapras! Umbreon set up a barrier between Meganium and Ampharos!" I shout.

"Lapras use hydro pump to fend Ampharos off. Meganium try and stop Umbreon with your stun spore!"

The four Pokemon jump into action, carrying out their trainers' commands. The thunderbolt hits Lapras with a power stronger than expected, and it's knocked back, causing it's attempted water attack to miss. I cheer successfully at this one small victory, causing Umbreon to be distracted. Meganium hits him dead on with stun spore. I curse quietly under my breath.

"Meganium! Now do the same with Ampharos!" David shouts,"Lapras! Try to avoid Ampharos' attacks!"

The two immediately begin to proceed with the command, hardly giving me time to react.

"Ampharos! Dodge Meganium and keep using thunderbolt until you hit Lapras! Umbreon try and knock Meganium out of Ampharos' way!" Hah, there's no way that'll happen, Meganium is twice the size of a normal one. Umbreon will probably hurt itself more trying to know it over, than Meganium.

Umbreon leaps at Meganium, ramming itself into the Pokemon several times until it falls to the ground, shaking occasionally. On the other hand, Ampharos jumps back at Meganium's attempt at knocking it down. In one swift movement, Ampharos dodges another attack from Meganium and causes another thunderbolt to shock Lapras. The water Pokemon lays unmoving for a moment before David returns it to it's pokeball. An aggravated growl escapes his mouth.

"It's not over yet N!" He shouts in rage, his face beet-red. I allow a small, mocking chuckle to escape my mouth before I return to the fierce determination from before. Umbreon finally jumps up, and looks to me for direction.

"Umbreon, distract Meganium! Ampharos, use thunderbolt on Meganium until it faints!" I shout, positive that I'll win.

"Meganium! Go after Ampharos, ignore Umbreon!" David commands.

Meganium dodges Umbreon, running after Ampharos. The electric Pokemon gets only one thunderbolt out on Meganium before it's cornered.

"Meganium! Use stun spore and follow it I'm with razor leaf!" He shouts.

Small yellow spores are produced from Meganium, and they land on Ampharos. The Pokemon tries to escape, but is prevented by the swirling leaves set to attack it. The leaves slash at Ampharos, and it's knocked backwards, unmoving on the ground.

I sigh, and return it to it's pokeball. The only one left is Umbreon. This is going to be quite difficult.

_A/N_

_And it's ANOTHER cliffhanger. Can't you tell I just love them? Gosh I suck at writing Pokemon battling, in fact, it is my first time attempting to do so. And lol, it turned out badly. You get more of it (the end of the battle) in the next chapter. WHO WILL WIN?! FIND OUT IN NEXT CHAAAPTER!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

-Touko-

The waves tickle my feet as I lay by the water. It's surreal here. No cars, no noisy arguments. Only peace and quiet. A joyful sigh escapes my mouth as I glance up at the sky. Several Wingull glide through the air, only having to flap their wings occasionally.

Footsteps quietly approach from behind, snapping me out of the daydream I was quickly falling into.

"Miss Touko, gather your things," Red says, his eyes focused on mine.

"Why? I thought we're staying the night," I say, slightly disappointed.

"We are, but I thought while we're here, we could visit my favorite childhood hang out," He explains, a small smile sliding onto his face.

"And that would be?" I ask. I stare back up at him.

"You'll find out when we get there," he replies, his smile growing. I roll my eyes, and reluctantly stand from my spot by the ocean. I pick up the things I had taken there with me, and return back to Red's house.

I open the door and drop my things just inside, not caring if I get sand all over the wooden floor.

"Hurry up Touko, if we take too long, it'll be night time by the time we get there," He says, rushing me. I glare at him before retrieving my purse from the bathroom. When I return back to the main room, Red is staring in my direction impatiently.

"Okay, we're leaving," He says, moving for the door.

"Are we flying?" I ask. His hand begins to turn the door knob, so I quickly rush to him from across the room.

"No, it's only a short walk away," Red explains, trying to hide a smile. He opens the door, moving to let me leave first. I exit the house, and turn to watch him leave and lock the door behind us.

I follow Red through the sandy town, used to the curious stares we get from others. He leads me to a cave entrance.

"A cave?" I ask, rolling my eyes. A cave. What a ridiculous place to take me.

"No," he hesitates, and then laughs,"it's the path to where we're going."

"If you _say_ so," I reply. We continue into the cave.

Not much is in here, a lady sitting at a counter, a sign for some safari zone, and a staircase carved into the wall. The only light in the room is filtering in through the dusty entrance at the top of the stairs.

We pass by the woman, neither of us acknowledging her. She didn't seem to mind, as she just sat and watched us walk through the short cave and up the stairs.

"Careful Touko, these stairs are slippery," Red warns, glancing at me.

"I- I think I got it Red," I say, slightly taken aback by his sudden concern for me. We walk up the stairs together, Red following close behind. I run a hand along the wall to my right in order to keep my balance. When we reach the top, Red exits first, despite the order we climbed the stairs.

The sunlight hurts my eyes, the sudden change from dark to light surprising them. Tears form in my eyes when I try to keep them open no matter how much they wish to close.

"Touko keep up!" Red shouts for ahead. As my eyes finally make the shift, I run back up to Red, and realize that we're on the side of a a mountain.

The view from here is astounding. The various rock formations and small patches of land perfectly accompany the sparkling ocean water. I sigh, smiling to myself.

"Touko, keep up," Red says, pulling me away from watching the water from above. I run to catch up to him.

I keep close to Red as we round a corner. Another cave appears just ahead.

"Another cave?" I whine, a little frustrated.

"Yeah, and there's actually Pokemon in this one," He says, grinning. I roll my eyes as we approach the second cave archway.

We step inside, and a chill instantly runs down my spine, goosebumps following soon after. The cave is much darker than the first, slightly giving me the creeps. I stay close to Red, glancing around occasionally.

As if out of nowhere, what seems like hundreds of Zubat fly at us. I let out a shriek, and Red looks back at me. I nod, giving him an apologetic smile. He turns forward, and continues walking. I feel myself becoming increasingly paranoid about another Zubat attack, the thought almost bringing me to tears. I run up beside Red, his head turning only slightly to see me. After only a few more steps, I slip my hand into his, hoping silently that he won't object. No words are produced from him, and I let out a sigh of relief. Butterflies swell up in my stomach, and I can't keep a smile off of my face. I keep myself close to him while his hand is in mine, to prevent him from, _accidentally_, letting go.

Light shines in from the cave's exit, and mixed feelings grow in me. If we leave, he'll probably let go of my hand, but if I manage to find a way to stay in here... No, we should continue on. I shake my head of the thoughts.

As we reach the end of the cave, his hand tightens for a moment around mine, and then releases it just as we exit.

I blush involuntarily when he gives me questioning looks outside of the cave. I couldn't help but notice that his face was a light shade of pink as well. I smile to myself as I trail behind him.

In the distance, set above the trees, I see another billboard for the safari zone.

-N-

Umbreon stares up at the Meganium towering over it, completely entranced by its extreme size.

"Meganium, body slam into Umbreon, and then hit it with razor leaf afterwards!" David shouts, a triumphant smirk dancing on his face. I glare at him.

"Umbreon, dodge the attacks and use shadow ball when you get a chance!" I command in reply.

Meganium charges sooner than expected, catching Umbreon slightly off guard. The grass Pokemon pushes Umbreon into the ground, yet quickly hops off to continue with the rest of the command. The small Pokemon struggles to stand, but eventually accomplishes the task. It shifts uneasily on it's feet for a moment before it's forced to jump out of the way in order to dodge the leaves sent at it by Meganium. The leaves bounce harmlessly off the ground. An aggravated growl is produced from David.

"Meganium, body slam it again!" He shouts angrily.

Umbreon catches its balance, and then leaps backwards. It stands for a moment, and then releases a purple, misty ball at Meganium. It hits it dead-on, and for once, the large Pokemon appears to be getting tired. It's feet stumble, only barely, on the grass covered ground. It rushes at Umbreon in attempt to knock it out. The small Pokemon jumps out of the way, and hurls another ball at Meganium. The grass Pokemon is visibly tired now, footsteps are heavy and slow, and it's breaths can be heard from this distance.

"Meganium," David heaves a large sigh,"use razor leaf and dodge Umbreon's attacks." I watch in both joy and pity as the large grass Pokemon gets hit repeatedly by Umbreon's attacks. It dodges maybe only one or two.

Meganium stumbles forward, and lands on it's face, making low groaning noises in the dirt and grass. Umbreon jumps forward to attack again, but I call it back.

David glares back at me, his anger-blazing eyes locked onto mine as he returns Meganium to it's pokeball.

"Looks like you _won_," He says, approaching me with a look of disgust. I return Umbreon to it's pokeball, whispering several words of thanks to it before David gets within earshot.

"Hah, I guess I did," I say, laughing slightly,"So, I guess that means you're fired." I stand triumphantly before him, smiling down at the boy who chose to be rude to his king.

"_Fine_," He says, sticking his tongue out at me. I laugh in reply.

"So I guess you'll be on your way home now?" I ask, watching as he returns to the center of the small field.

"I guess so," He replies, rolling his eyes. David pulls a pokeball out of his pocket, and throws it at the ground. A Swanna appears, and he climbs on, glaring at me once again. As he soars in to the midnight sky, I wave a sarcastic goodbye to him.

_A/N_

_I think this is my favorite chapter so far. Dang, these chapters are getting like, mega long (for my standards)... I know the moment between Red and Touko was short, and not alot of it was there, but hey, you can't rush into things. Don't worry, there'll be more in their future... Lol thanks for reading, and have a wonderful Tuesday!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

-N-

I approach the door, and peer inside. Nobody appears to be lingering about. I push the glass door open, and enter quietly. I hold the door as it closes to prevent any noise. Although I'm the king, the sages get angry when I leave the castle without permission.

"N!" A feminine voice half-shouts from the hallway leading to the lab. I flinch before turning my head in the direction of the voice. It's Hallie.

"Yes?"

"Where's David?" She asks, stopping in front of me, her eyes sparkle with angry tears.

"I fired him," I reply, rolling my eyes,"I found that he has no use at the laboratory."

"You fired him?!" She asks, tears beginning to drip down her face. The small about of mascara she's wearing begins to run.

"Oh... I guess I did," I admit, avoiding her eyes. Whatever happened must have involved him. The short strawberry-blonde turns back to the lab, and storms off, muttering obscenities under her breath. Wait, why was I needed at the laboratory?

"Hallie!" I shout, chasing after her. The door slams behind her, and I know I should probably leave her alone.

As I drag myself back down the hallway, regret begins to fester within me. I grit my teeth, and continue on, eventually arriving at the elevator. I slowly reach up to press the button, all of my life feels drained from me. Despite the little friendship I had with Hallie, it appears that I've hurt her more than intended. Hurting people is the last thing I wish to do.

The elevator eventually slides open in front of me, and I step in. The doors shut after several moments of blank anticipation. I press the button for the top floor, and walk backwards until I hit the wall. I slide down to the floor, my back still supported by the elevator's metal walls. A sigh escapes my mouth, and I bury my face in my hands. What a regretful thing to do. Hurting someone is worse than I ever expected. It must be truly awful if you were good friends, maybe even dating said individual.

The soft ding of the elevator keeps me company as I make my slow ascent to the roof. I keep tears out of my eyes. Crying is not necessary. Showing pain is not becoming of a king. Allowing others to see me at my weakest moment is not the smartest idea.

I stand, and glance up at the floor counter. I'm only halfway to the top of my castle. Yet again, I sigh.

-Touko-

The awkward silence we're in after the cave is almost unbearable. Red is constantly snickering to himself while I trail behind, blushing redder than a tomato ready for picking. My footsteps occasionally match his, which he doesn't notice, but I do. And when I do, I quickly shift to another walking speed.

Red glances back at me occasionally, and it's bothering me. It's like he thinks I'm going to run away or something. Where would I go? Hah, definitely not the cave, and not down into the river. If I only had Swanna with me...

"Touko! Snap out of it! We're here!" Red shouts, a playful smile dancing across his face. I stick my tongue out at him, and then peer up at the sign before me.

After a few more moments of looking at the sign, we enter a small area with vendors and a Pokemon center.

"Just how I remember it..." Red says, smiling lightly,"you're going to love it Touko." I nod and roll my eyes, halfway sure he was being sarcastic.

I follow behind him as he leads me around the different booths selling things. I stop occasionally to examine something of interest, whether it be a pokeball or a peculiar item, but Red pulls me away.

"Red, I'm trying to enjoy my time here," I complain, stomping behind him.

"Yes, that's what I'd want, but we have to find the ice cream," he explains, taking me past more vendors.

"Red! They had ribbons back there!" I say, attempting to pull away from him.

"But Touko, we have to find the ice cream," he replies in a mocking tone. I glare at Red, ready to slap him.

"We can get ice cream after I get a ribbon," I reply, turning around. Before I even get a chance to take several steps away, he pulls me back.

"Touko, please," he says, looking me dead-on in the eyes. It's hard to resist those eyes.

"Fine, but can we come back later?" I ask, smiling sheepishly.

"I guess so," he agrees, releasing my wrist.

We continue on our search for ice cream, stopping at every other vendor until we finally come across what we were searching for.

"Hah! I told you it would be here!" Red says with triumph. I roll my eyes. He begins to rummage through his bag, occasionally pulling out a dollar or two. "Okay, I would like two ice creams please," he orders, handing the money to the man behind the table.

"I don't get to choose my flavor?" I ask, slightly angry.

"No, because there are no different flavored besides vanilla," Red explains. We watch the man prepare our ice cream, handing them to us at the same time.

"Thank you!" I shout as we walk away. He waves and nods in reply.

_A/N_

_So guys, I wrote a chapter about absolutely nothing! Hahahahahaha! I literally wrote this chapter at least three times over (the Red and Touko part), and this is the one I decided to stick with... Meh, I had like, writer's block for awhile, and that's why it took longer than usual for this chapter... Haha *smiles* I promise the next chapter will be better! Blank anticipation? I'm not quite sure what it is, but I felt like it fit there..._

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

-N-

I run a hand through my hair, and sigh in despair. The nagging pain of hurting another is beginning to morph into a headache. The emotional pain mixed with the physical pain cannot be escaped.

My eyes shift up from the floor to focus on the floor counter near the ceiling. I stare at it for a moment, hardly comprehending what was going on, before realizing that I'm about to reach the roof. I run my hand along the marble floor I sit upon, following the action by clenching my fingers into a fist. I grit my teeth in attempt to hold back tears. Hallie probably hates me. She never wants to see me again.

I shake my head. Stop. Why do I care? I'm king. I feel no emotion for the lower class citizens of Unova. She's nothing but a servant to me.

The elevator begins to slow, the speed of the numbers decreasing. The doors slide open several moments after I arrive at the roof.

I pull myself from the floor of the elevator, and swipe tears away from my eyes. A cold wind greets me, small snow flurries accompanying it. I take a deep breath in, and begin to walk.

The roof of the castle is not what a normal castle would look like. It appears more as an office building might. It's flat, no slope at all, no decorations, just grey. Grey, grey, and more grey.

My feet drag along the ground, their soft scraping sound rising to my ears. The only other noise around is the uneven rhythm of my breathing. My eyes shift to the ocean in the distance, the blue-grey water reflecting the clouds in the sky. Snowflakes of various sizes drift gracefully down from the light-grey puffs covering the sky.

I soon find myself staring down at the water over the edge of the building. The large waves crashing into the side of the island are both hardly audible and visible. The only indication that they are there is the occasional extremely large wave that'll rise over the edge, and wash up on land.

I sit on the roof, and scoot to the edge. I allow my feet to dangle, occasionally swinging them into the side of my castle.

Why am I king? What do I do here besides boss people around? Order flower bouquets for the sages occasional get togethers? _Hah_, sounds like a _king_ to _me_.

I lean back, allowing myself to relax against the concrete surface beneath me. I bet everyone despises me. Talks about me behind my back. Laughs when I turn away. Gossips about what '_ridiculous ruling_' I shall make next. David was a prime example of that. No respect, yet, why should I have any? I'm just an ordinary man doing nothing but supervising the preparations for festivals and meetings. The sages do the work. I'm simply a figurehead.

I swing my feet back up to the roof, and I crawl forward a bit before standing. Ledges are dangerous.

I nervously clench my hands into fists as I pace back and forth between the elevator and the edge of the castle. My feet hesitate longer every time I turn back to the elevator. With one final turn, I approach the elevator, deciding against what depressing thoughts I was having.

Before I change my mind, yet again, I smash the button on the elevator. After a moment's wait, the doors smoothly slide open. I step in, still unsure about my purpose here.

-Touko-

As I finish off my ice cream with a final lick, I smile at Red. He laughs, motioning to me that there's something on my mouth. I instantly blush, and quickly swipe away the ice cream, glancing around to make sure no one noticed. During our laughter, we reach the entrance to the safari zone. I toss the cone from my ice cream in the trash before entering.

The smell of freshly cut grass and sweat drifts to my nose when we get inside. I'm not sure if I should be delighted by this, or disgusted.

A young man, probably in his twenties, turns to us from behind the reception counter.

"Welcome to the Safari Zone!" He greets, a smile playing on his face. I laugh lamely and Red leads me over. I can't help but notice that he can't stop smiling.

"Would you like to go into the Safari Zone?" The man asks, looking at us expectantly.

"Yes sir," Red replies, nodding.

"Both of you are going?"

"Yes."

"That would be one thousand Poké please," The man says. Red pulls the prepared money out of his pocket, and hands it over with a smile. The man looks at it, nods, and begins to shuffle some things under the counter. He pulls out some pokeballs and then shifts his focus to us. "Okay, here's thirty pokeballs. When you use all of these, or time runs out, you'll be called back," he explains. We nod in understanding. We both snatch the pokeballs off of the counter. "Have fun!" He shouts as we turn and rush towards the door.

The sight we come across is amazing. Pokemon are abundant in the grass before us. Rattata scurry about, while flocks of Pidgey soar through the air. I glance over at Red, who's already plunging into the grass before us. I chase after him, attempting to catch Pokemon he passes up.

"Miss Touko," He starts, pulling my attention away from a Weedle.

"Yes?" I look at him, curious to find out what he wants.

"I'd like to show you my favorite part of the Safari Zone!" He announces, stepping out of the grass.

"Well, let's go then," I say, smiling. He nods, and begins to lead me towards a mountainous looking area.

_A/N_

_Yup, that's right. N's depressed as f*** and romance is sparking between our two little love birds. I originally planned to make it an "N only" chapter, but I quickly ran out of ideas (without making it overly depressing, *nudge nudge* that'll be later)... Hehe~ I have an idea in mind for the next chapter, but you'll just have to wait! Muahahahahahahaha! Thanks for reading, and have a great day!_

_(P.S. Poké is the currency (just had to clarify that cause I wasn't sure what it was called in game))_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

-N-

I collapse onto the floor of the elevator, not bothering to choose the floor I'd like to go to. Someone else will do that for me. The doors slide shut, and I'm suddenly alone in the almost deafening silence of the closed elevator. I fall to my back, and repeatedly run hands through my hair. Tears form and then disappear, making me unsure of my feelings. My breathing is unsteady, despite how much I try to control it. What if I just disappeared? Would anyone notice? Would anyone care? Definitely not my servants, and especially not Hallie.

The elevator begins to descend, someone will be getting on soon. I sit up, clutching my forehead with one hand, as my headache has returned. I flatten my messed up hair down and wipe away remaining tears with my open hand. My eyes shoot up to the floor counter as the soft sound emitted by it stops. The door slides open, revealing an older-looking woman. Her light grey hair is tucked back into a bun, and her back is lightly arched downwards.

She limps in, smiling sweetly towards me.

"Hello young man," She greets, pressing a button on the elevator.

I clear my throat,"Hello."

"How are you doing on this chilly day?" She asks, stepping closer to me.

"Okay, how about you?" I ask in reply.

"Good, good. Would you like a hand?" She asks because of my current position.

I smile and nod,"please."

The old woman extends a wrinkly, yet well kept, hand towards me, and I take it. I stand, only using her a bit, I wouldn't want to accidentally pull her down.

"Thank you," I say, nodding at her with a smile.

"Now, have you seen the king? I've been searching for him, but I just can't seem to find him," The woman explains. My smile fades a bit.

"Ahaha, no, I haven't seen the king. You should try back a little later, he's probably asleep and what not," I lie. She nods understandingly.

"Well, I won't be able to return any time soon, so do you think you could take a message?" She asks, her smile revealing a set of well kept, probably false, teeth.

"I suppose I could."

"Well, could you tell the king that he's needed in Nimbasa City?"

"Yes, I'll report to him the moment I see him," I agree, nodding. The lady smiles. The sound from the floor counter stops when we reach the bottom floor.

"Well, I guess I shall be on my way," the elderly woman says. I nod, giving her a smile.

"Have a nice day!" I say after her.

"Same to you, and stay warm!" She replies, waving. I wave a small wave, a retreat back into the elevator. Why am I needed in Nimbasa City? Probably to plan another party for the gym leaders. Maybe to supervise the repair of the train. Something ridiculous, more than likely. I press the button for the kitchen floor, as I've begun to have the craving for popcorn.

The ride up there wasn't long, maybe only a one or two minute wait. The doors open, and the smell of various and exotic foods meets me. I step out into the area before the kitchen and take a deep breath in, my mouth beginning to water.

Waiters and waitresses barge in and out of the swinging kitchen doors, some carrying trays full of food, and others heading back for more. I approach the first waiter and stop him.

"Sir, do you know if there's any popcorn in the kitchen?" I ask with a smile.

"Yes sir, there is," He replies quickly before rushing to a table needing assistance. I've never eaten at the restaurant at my castle, although I have hosted a party there before.

I push the swinging doors open and enter the kitchen. The smells outside are nothing compared to the delicious scents inside. I begin to wander aimlessly around, occasionally watching a chef prepare meat, sometimes examining the extensive list of foods in the pantry.

"King N, is there something you need?" A man asks, pulling my attention away from a chef preparing what he calls "macaroni and cheese".

"Ah yes, I'd like a bowl of popcorn please," I reply, nodding. The man rushes off, muttering several words under his breath that I cannot identify.

I mosey around for a bit, wondering when my popcorn will be done, when the man returns empty-handed.

"I apologize sir, but we have no popcorn at the moment," he says, fear in his eyes. Anger swells inside of me, but I manage to suppress it.

"That's fine, I'll be back later," I say, staring at the man. He nods, and scurries away.

I leave, as there's no reason for me to remain in the kitchen, and head back to the elevator.

-Touko-

I trail silently behind Red, allowing the soft scent of his cologne to drift back to me.

"Are we going to the mountain zone?" I ask, peering over his shoulder. The brown rock formations are growing closer.

"Maybe," he says, looking back at me through the corner of his eye. A stifled smirk is crawling onto his face.

He leads me to a small, vegetation-less area. His footsteps slow, and eventually stop. He turns to me, a small trace of pink is on his cheeks.

"Haha, so we're here Red," I say, laughing nervously, and probably blushing myself. I know it's going to happen. He's gonna kiss me. Definitely.

Red slips his hand into mine, and smiles nervously at me. I look away, and smile, but quickly return my focus to him. He bites his lip and looks down at me.

"Ahaha," he laughs nervously. Its adorable because even Red gets flustered at times like this. His face turns redder.

After hesitating a moment, he pulls me closer. I wrap my arms around him, and lay my head on his chest, listening to his heart. It's going a mile a minute. He runs a hand through my hair, stopping at the back of my head. I look up at him, and smile lightly. He pulls my lips to his, hesitating before they touch.

It's wonderful, kissing someone you like. It's almost the same joy as snuggling up by the fireplace on a cold day, but better.

The kiss only lasted a moment, but it felt like ages. When he pulls away, his face is as red as a tomato. "Ahaha..." He nervously rubs the back of his head, and looks away," Sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing?" I ask, looking away too, my face has grown quite hot over the past few moments.

"I, I uh-"

"Time is up!"

I glance up at Red, and he meets my eyes. We both share an awkward laugh, and begin to head back to the reception area.

_A/N_

_Asdfghjlhdkalshfjs gahh so adorable oh my god so cuuuute I absolutely had a wonderful time writing this chapter eeeek! They shared their first kiss together how adorable! Oh my god I'm like, freaking out right now ahahahahahaha I love romance between these two- and lol, the conversation between N and that old lady (who may or may not be used later) was like, such a sweet, yet- hmm... devious? I don't know the word for it, but it was sweet and (let's go with devious for now) devious conversation xD... Lol popcorn, totally random, but meh, I felt that it could help with showing the different floors on N's castle. Yes, a restaurant. If I had a castle, I would have a fancy restaurant in it. Thanks for reading, and have a great day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

-N-

I step out into the lobby of my castle, scanning the area before starting towards the door. Nobody appears to be around, so my footsteps echo quite a bit.

"N! Where do you think you're going?!" A female shouts. I turn. It's Hallie.

"Nimbasa City, why?" I ask, avoiding her glare.

"Because _I'm_ going with you," she announces, staring up at me. I can't help but flinch back at her blazing green eyes.

"Well, you're going to have to get your own way of traveling there, because I'm definitely not letting you on Zekrom," I reply, suddenly angry at her. I don't wish to speak to the person who has caused much pain in me.

"_Fine_," she replies, flicking a strand of hair away from her face. It quickly replaces itself near her ear.

I take a step outside, flinching when the first burst of freezing air hits me. When did it turn to night?

I grab Zekrom's pokeball from my pocket, and examine it. The fine lines of use have worked their way onto the ball, giving it personality. I run my finger over the button used to open it, and then toss it forward. The small red and white sphere opens mid-flight, releasing my faithful Zekrom, and quickly returns to my hand. I take one last look at the precious ball, and shove it into my pocket. I flick my eyes to Hallie and back, checking to see if she has decided to stay.

Shivers begin to run through me as I climb onto Zekrom. I wrap my arms around myself and pat my pokémon on the head.

"N, I don't have my flying pokémon with me," Hallie announces, dismayed.

"Well I told you that _you_ had to find your own way to get there," I answer, rolling my eyes as I turn to her. She hesitates, and her mouth twitches into a smile.

"Well I told you that _you_ had to find your own way to get there," she mimics, laughing. I glare at her.

"Stop that!" I command.

"Stop that!" She shouts in reply, a now devious smile perched upon her mouth. I cross my arms and stick my tongue out at her. Hallie copies me, yet again.

"I won't take you if you don't stop!" I threaten. Her smile quickly fades, but she doesn't speak. She makes a move towards Zekrom, and I stop her," you can't be bothersome, and you have to promise not to get mad at me."

"I promise," she agrees, rolling her eyes. I give her a firm nod, and she climbs on behind me. "N, shouldn't we tell someone where we're going?"

I ponder that statement for a bit, and then turn to her,"I guess."

"Okay, I'll be right back," She says, jumping to the ground. I follow her with my eyes until she disappears into the castle. Maybe her anger was false?

My eyes begin to float from object to object, examining their details and shape. I've never realized it before, but the lamps outside of my castle are stunningly beautiful; their light shining through the translucent cover, gleaming black metal encasing it. The ground contrasts greatly in terms of appeal. Splotches of dusty brown dirt are scattered among the dead yellowing grass. The path leading from the edge of the island to the castle is wonderful though. The oddly shaped stones with grass poking through the uncovered cracks create the perfect pathway up to the door.

My eyes follow the trail, eventually meeting the door. I focus on what's behind the glass, and I see Hallie approaching it. Her short step-lengths come to an abrupt halt as she stops to open the door. With a quick tug, a stumble backwards, and a skip out the door, Hallie continues towards me. I quickly shift my focus to the ocean ahead of me.

"Okay N, I told some of the scientists, so we can go now," She announces, jumping on to Zekrom's back.

I glance back at her, nod with a small smile, and reply," great."

-Touko-

"What pokémon did you catch?" I ask, avoiding his eyes. A small smile can't keep itself off of my face.

"A Pidgey and a Weedle," he replies, his words short.

"No Caterpies?" I ask, peering at him out of the corner of my eye, smiling deviously. He jokingly glares down at me, a playful smile dancing across his face.

"Let's not bring mention of that, _Miss Touko_," he says, laughing quietly. I glance up, and the vendors are back in my view.

"Can we get a ribbon now?" I ask, jumping excitedly in place.

"Sure," he agrees, leading me to the ribbon stand. The vendor standing behind the table looks up as we approach.

"Welcome, I sell ribbons," he greets, smiling.

"What colors do you have?" I ask.

"We have... Wait a moment, let me see," he replies, shuffling some things beneath the table,"I have blue, green, yellow, pink, and white."

"Ooh there are so many colors," I say, repeating the short list of ribbons in my head,"Red you choose."

"Touko, I'm not good at making decisions for other people," Red admits, smiling apologetically.

"But I can't choose."

"Why?" He gives me a curious look.

"I want too many of them."

"But we can always buy more then one, I have plenty of poké for that," he replies, laughing lightly.

"But then it won't be as special," I reply, partially whining.

"Well," he hesitates,"okay." I smile, bouncing happily. "I'd like a white ribbon please," he declares, beginning to dig a wallet out of his bag. The man behind the stand returns to moving things about under the table, quickly producing a white ribbon.

"That be fifty poké," the man holds out his hand. Red nods, pulling the money out, quickly handing it to the vendor. He receives the ribbon in return.

"Thank you," the man says as we walk away.

"Why'd you choose white?" I ask, looking up at Red. He hands me the ribbon, brushing his hand against mine for a brief second.

"Something about the color appeals to me, but I'm not quite sure why," Red explains, shrugging. I nod to myself, examining the new memento. We walk in silence for a few moments, before he clears his throat.

"So I guess we'll go back to Cianwood now?" He asks, peering down at me. I nod, my focus still on the souvenir in my hands. "Cool," he replies, turning towards the exit. As we pass under the sign, I smile.

"Thanks Red," I say, playfully bumping into him.

_A/N_

_So, it was a short chapter, but I like it. Hehehehehe Red bought the ribbon because he likes the color. Yet (unknown to the characters) Touko can also be called White. Muahahaha IM A MAD GENIOUS! Today, I planned out the rest of the story, which could last quite a bit longer (I'm not going to say exactly how long because I don't want to limit myself) depending on if I add or change things. Umm, I don't know if I ever described them in the story before this chapter, but Hallie's eyes are green (if they were another color, too bad, they're green now). Thanks for reading, and have a great day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter** **12**

-Touko-

With the cave where I was spooked by zubats in sight, my feet begin to feel heavy, and I have to force myself forward. I clench the ribbon tightly to my chest.

"Touko...?" Red asks, looking back at me.

"Ahaha... Yes Red?" I reply, laughing nervously.

"Is something wrong?"

I gulp, cough, and shake my head enthusiastically," no, nothing's wrong."

"If you say so," he replies, sarcasm lining his voice. He returns forwards, and stops just before the entrance. I approach cautiously behind him, biting my lip to hold back nervous tears. "You don't sound okay though." I shake my head, and stop next to him. Shakily, I slide my hand into Red's. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, and we enter the cave.

Darkness envelopes me and Red, already causing my fear to grow. A stifled sob escapes my voice as tears slowly begin running down my face. The silence is almost unbearable, the foreboding sense that anything could jump out in any given moment, adding to it. Red rubs his thumb over the back of my hand, causing a slight bit of comfort to wash away my fear.

He leads me through the darkness, his shadowy figure occasionally turning towards me.

His footsteps aren't audible, the same as mine. No water drips from the ceiling, no scampering pokémon. A sudden chill runs through me, and I tense up, my calmed footsteps becoming rough again.

"Red," I whisper, pulling myself closer to him. He releases my hand to wrap an arm around me. "Red I'm not too fond of caves."

His figure faces me," and I'm not too fond of oceans, but I press forwards anyways." I laugh slightly, both nervously and at how unsympathetic his statement was.

A small beam of light slowly grows to the opening of the cave, and a sigh threatens to escape my mouth. I keep silent though, constantly on the watch for pokémon that could jump out.

A noise, soft, yet loud enough to be heard, sounds from behind me, and I flinch, jumping forward instinctively. I attempt to catch my balance, but all I can manage is a few stumbles resulting in a collision with the ground.

"Touko?" Red asks, rushing up to me. I feel his hand on my back, the other grabbing my arm to help me up. I swat him away, tears of embarrassment beginning to replace those that were fear. I pull myself up, and dust of my clothes.

"Touko, are you okay?" Red asks, keeping close to me, the exit is near.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply," I didn't mean to decline your help. It was just a reaction."

"It's okay," he laughs,"I probably would have done the same."

"Are you sure?" I ask, looking up at him as we exit. Light spreads across his face, revealing a concerned yet playful smile.

"Positive," his grin grows. "Have you noticed how pretty the ocean is from here?" He leads me to the side of the mountain, and sits on the edge, watching the water. He looks to me and pats the ground next to him. I take my place next to Red, and look the same direction he is.

The ocean is beautiful. The boulders and tiny islands beautifully accompany the deep blue waters. The setting sun casts long rays of red and orange which reflect off the water's crests.

"It is quite wonderful," I reply, smiling forwards.

-N-

I keep my focus on the ocean in front of me, ignoring Hallie's senseless rambling.

"But I was just thinking, like, what if David _had_ kissed me? What would have happened?" She asks to herself.

"I don't know," I reply absentmindedly.

"But N, he was like, totally into me. How could he not kiss me?" She hesitates,"I love him N!"

I glare forward, clenching my hands in annoyance.

"He's all I can think about! I don't know how I'll live without him!" She shouts, her voice shaking.

"I don't know," I say, my eyes following the horizon left until I can't any longer, and then back to the right, repeating the process.

"What if he hates me? That's probably why he left without telling me. But thats probably not true. but then again-" a small sob sounds from behind me, interrupting her thought.

"Maybe he doesn't like you anymore," I say, fiddling with the back of Zekrom.

"He doesn't like me?!" She wails, choppy sobs accompanying it.

"Maybe he just wanted to be alone," I suggest," I know I just want to be alone sometimes."

"But he always comes to me when he's sad. Why would he change now?" She asks, her loud crying down to small whimpers and occasional sniffs.

"Maybe he doesn't like you," I repeat, laughing slightly at her inability to realize whatever relationship she had, is over.

"That can't be true! We know each other so well!"

"People change," I state, my laughter fading. I'm becoming fed up with her whining.

"But- but-" she stutters, unable to find another reply.

"Get over him Hallie. He wasn't even a good guy anyways. You could do better," I say, ready to finish the conversation.

"You're so uncaring N! If I could get of this Zekrom, I would," she replies. I stay quiet, hoping that she won't say anymore. "Maybe I'll just give him some time."

"Good idea," I agree. He'll probably never talk to her again. She doesn't reply, an occasional sob or groan will sound from her, but nothing more.

The dark horizon before us quickly gets replaced by the shining lights of Castelia City.

"We should be at Nimbasa City soon Hallie, it's just past Castelia," I announce, glancing back at her. She's covering her face, shaking with tears. "Hallie, come on. It's not a big deal. Look, okay, how long'd you know him?" I ask.

She turns her focus to me, hiccuping a few times before muttering," almost five months."

"Okay, and how often would you guys talk?"

"Every night until one of us fell asleep. But about a month ago, he stopped talking to me," she says, sniffing. I nod.

"Well, did anything happen a month ago?" I continue, forcing a helpful smile.

"Not that I know of," she replies, on the verge of tears.

"Well, there's always hope that he'll come back. Don't let it bother you," I say, nodding. She nods, wiping away tears, and smiling.

I turn back forward, and make an annoyed face at the sky. After retaining the expression for a few moments, I shift my eyes to the city below.

The skyscrapers pass beneath us, their lights shooting by, leaving small trails of yellow, white, and blue behind. The soft roar of cars and frenzied commuters is audible all the way up here. It must be horribly loud down there.

As the final lights flicker away behind us, a shiver runs through me. The cold begins to force it's way through my body instead of around it, and my teeth begin to chatter. Once again, I wrap my arms around myself, occasionally removing them to breathe on my hands.

"When will we get there?" Hallie asks, excitement sprinkled throughout her voice.

"Soon, the lights of the ferris wheel should appear in just a few minutes. Then it won't be much longer," I reply, leaning forward in the hope of seeing the ferris wheel. Nothing but darkness and the shady grey clouds in the sky are visible.

_A/N_

_Ahaha~ sorry for Hallie's nonsense, I don't know if I was keeping her consistent from how I previously showed her (but then again, I hardly used her before this). I won't use her much more, just cause OCs aren't my favorite things to use in stories (unless they're necessary) but I will finish of her story soon cause I can't leave her all distraught over David *rolls eyes* Touko and Red are so adorable- my love for them as a couple cannot be expressed xD... But anyways, I was a tad bit lazy on the proof reading and stuff, just cause I hate doing it, so there'll probably be some mistakes. Sorry for the short chapter, I keep meaning to make them longer- but thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day! *swoops away into the treetops*_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

-Touko-

We step out of the Safari Zone's reception cave, the sun almost completely gone. Only a few shaky rays of sunlight peek over the horizon.

"Red," I say, scanning the area for his house," thanks for the day at the safari zone."

He looks to me, smiling," no problem." He squeezes my hand for a moment, and then releases it. I look up to him, and his eyes have the same fog over them as the day we arrived.

"Are you okay?" I ask, slowing my steps in hope of him copying. He does, eventually finding the pace I have set.

"I guess so, why wouldn't I be?" He's biting his lip, and fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"I'm not sure, but you seem nervous," I point out, attempting to smile.

"I'm just reflecting over today's happenings. It's been quite an experience for me," he explains, nodding. I reply to his nod with one of my own.

"Well, I guess that's understandable. You know, that's the first time I've ever really kissed a guy," I explain. "Well if you don't count Cheren when I was five..." I add on under my breath.

"Well, it's the same for me," he nods, still carrying out the actions from earlier. He obviously didn't hear what I muttered after I admitted that to him. After a few moments he adds,"I mean, the first time I've kissed a girl. I didn't mean it to sound that way, it's just-"

I laugh, cutting him off," I knew what you meant." He nods, staying silent. His house is in sight, and he begins to lead me towards it. My eyes drift to the ocean nearby, and longing begins to fill me. The salty breeze drifts towards us, trying to pull me to it, taunting me with it's cool waters and pristine beach.

"Miss Touko, when we get inside, I suggest you pack your things before you sleep. It will allow us to leave earlier, thus we'll return the medicine faster," Red announces, stopping before the door. I nod, my previous thoughts lost, and stand to the side as he inserts the key into the lock. He turns it, violently shakes it a few times, and then proceeds to remove the key, causing the door to swing open.

"I'm starving," I state as we enter.

"Well, I did buy things to make spaghetti, but I'm not the most skilled cook in the world," he says, dropping his bag behind the sofa. I take my time as I drift towards the barstools in the tiny kitchen.

"I'm sure that'll be fine," I agree, sliding onto the cheap plastic stool. I shift, and then turn my focus to Red. He stretches his arms in the air, and lets out a loud yawn.

"Well, why don't you go get your things together while I make the food," he suggests, stepping into the kitchen area. He begins opening every cabinet in sight, occasionally retrieving a pot or pan from one.

"I guess I should", I say, pushing myself off of the stool.

As I float to the hallway, I feel Red's eyes on my back, and it bothers me. The temptation to look back at him is almost unbearable, but I manage to control myself.

My footsteps are muffled by the small, old-fashioned rug covering the floor. The fabric beneath me adds a slight bit of a rustic feel to the hallway. The only other decoration, is a small, circular classroom clock; its easy-to-read numbers are slowly fading, the hands have slowed to about half their normal pace. My steps slow, and I begin to examine the walls closer. They're marked with various personality-defining bumps, nicks, and scratches. I run my hand over the wall, feeling the abnormal, yet soothing texture. A small sigh escapes my mouth. It reminds me of home.

After a few more moments of reminiscing about home, I force myself to continue forwards. I really do need to get my things packed.

I poke my head into the bathroom, checking for any clothes I could have left. Nothing. I nod silently to myself, and replace the door to it's original position.

I turn towards the closet I looked in before we left for the Safari Zone, and quietly open the door. Nothing. Where could my things be?

After shuffling everything around a bit more, I shout," Red?!"

"Yes?!"

"Where's my stuff?"

"Uhh..." He hesitates," I don't know." I glare at the back wall of the closet, and then slam the door, hoping Red will hear. "Touko, don't slam doors!"

"But I can't find my stuff!" I whine, trudging back down the hallway.

"No excuses," he says, probably shaking his head. I step out of the hallway and into the kitchen, and Red is still working on finding the pots and pans.

"Shouldn't you have found all of those pots and pans already?" I ask, expecting a sarcastic answer.

"Well, I guess so," he agrees, bending over to check under the sink. I return to my perch on the barstool, and lean my chin on my hand. I drum the table with my other fingers, taking Red by surprise at first.

"Touko, if I can't find the rest of the cooking supplies, so you just want to go out and eat?"

"Like where? We're on a tiny city island thing and there's no restaurants," I say, drawing invisible circles on the counter.

"Well... I don't know..." He replies, standing from beneath the sink, dusting himself off.

"Why is your house so old?" I question, switching off between squares and circles.

He swiftly turns to me, an almost stunned expression on his face," I- I don't know."

"Yes you do know," I push. He'll tell me eventually, I know it.

"Maybe, but now's not the time to tell you," he hesitates," how 'bout tomorrow when we're flying to N's castle?" I groan as my reply, adding triangles into the mix of invisible shapes.

"Why don't you want to tell me now?" I ask, halting the shape drawing completely.

"I just don't feel like it," he replies, opening the refrigerator. After staring into the empty chilly air, he backs up, and shuts the door. "Well, looks like we're eating junk for dinner. Would you like a candy bar or a bag of chips?" He asks in a fancy accent. I roll my eyes, and giggle.

"Chips please."

-N-

The lights of Nimbasa City are vibrantly bright, the neon colors and flashing lights illuminate the night sky. The ferris wheel is probably to focal point for all of this; its metal supports are lined with multicolored lights, occasionally they'll flicker to another color. The obnoxious carnival music, on the other hand, is blazing loud above the night, filling the empty sky with noise.

"Hallie, we're almost there," I announce, looking at her over my shoulder. She nods in reply, and begins to stretch out her arms.

As Zekrom prepares to land, sudden memories flood back to me.

What a wonderful day that was, riding the ferris wheel with Touko. From what I could tell, she didn't like being there with me, but in my mind, it was quite enjoyable.

I shake my head of the memory, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

Zekrom gradually floats downwards, preparing for a graceful landing. He flaps his wings occasionally, trying not to plummet directly from the sky. I peer over his side to get a better look at where we'll be landing, at it appears that he chose to land right in front of the Pokémon Center.

It's collision with the ground was graceful, only a light bump was caused by touching the ground.

"Okay Hallie, time to go," I say, sliding off of Zekrom. She blinks down at me. "Come on," I say, staring back up at her. She doesn't move for a few more seconds, and when she does, it's slow. She scoots to the edge of the dragon-like pokémon, and pushes herself off.

"So like, I have to go find David," she says, about to walk off.

"That can wait until tomorrow, and even then we probably can't go see him. I have to take care of whatever business is here, and get back for the medicine," I say, calling Zekrom back to it's pokeball.

"But N," she whines, stomping her foot," I really need to talk to him."

"Well too bad, you can wait. And plus, you should be giving him time alone. He'll come back to you eventually," I say, starting down he sidewalk.

"But I need to see-"

"No Hallie, you can see him tomorrow," I say, ready to stop her annoyance.

"Please N," she begs, shooting me a smile," please?" I glare at her.

"What if I fired you, and you were out of work? Would that be better?" I threaten, laughing quietly to myself.

"No..." she hesitates," but I still really want to see David!" I roll my eyes, and let out a small sigh of aggravation.

"You can see him tomorrow, I promise," I say, looking over to her.

"Pinkie promise?" She asks, holding out her finger. I nod and wrap my pinkie around hers for a moment, sealing the promise.

_A/N_

_So, this chapter was kinda dumb- I will admit, I was a tad bit lazy- but no matter! I cant wait to write the next chapters (despite the lack of inspiration for this one)... I didn't spend much time on proof reading, so there are probably some typos (cause you know how annoying autocorrect is)...Happy first day of February! Thanks for reading!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_A/N_

_This isn't the actual author's note, it's a response to one of the anonymous reviews I received-_

_*ahem* yeah, I mean, I know the characters are OoC, and meh, I could probably do better, but *shrug* I'm working on it, this story is about halfway done (maybe a little more?) and I mean, the only major human contact Red has had has been between him and Touko, which, at first he appeared to be, FORMAL, I guess, and then slowly warmed up to her? I don't know, sometimes I have that little nagging feeling that's like "stop Twilit- he's not acting how he should!" But *shrug* I'll try and do a bit better than before- now, I apologize if I seem rude, it's just a natural habit/compulsory sort of thing where I feel the need to explain myself, it gets in the way of my thoughts, ALOT. But anyways, I've actually been planning to really get the characters like, shown true in the following few chapters (to the end possibly?) so, if you are reading this, thank you, and I greatly apologize for not having Red (or anyone else for that matter) in character._

-Touko-

I curl up on the sofa, craning my neck to watch Red tidy up the house. He rushes from place to place, snatching up loose dish-ware needing to be cleaned.

"Red, why are you cleaning?" I ask, my eyes shifting to the blank television as Red leaves my sight.

"No reason," he replies, cutting his words short and emotionless.

"Are you okay?" I ask, slightly unnerved by his sudden lack of emotion.

"Absolutely," he confirms while distracted with whatever he's cleaning behind me. I sit in silence as I listen to him shuffle about, gathering dirty dishes and other trash.

"What time is it?" I ask, sitting up. I allow myself to lay against the back of the sofa.

"Almost nine-thirty in the evening, Miss Touko. You should get to bed soon, we're leaving early tomorrow," he explains, the sound of clattering plates coming from his direction.

"Where will I sleep? There's only one bedroom," I reply, slightly confused by his lack of an adequate description earlier. He made me think there were two bedrooms.

"Sleep where you wish, but I'll tell you now, I get the bed," he states, snatching a broom from the wall diagonal from me.

"Oh, okay then," I reply, watching him go about his cleaning. Dust quickly begins to be picked up by his rough strokes to the floor with the broom. He glances up at me occasionally, quickly returning his eyes to the wood beneath him.

"I think I'll sleep on the sofa," I announce, my eyes drifting away from him and towards the window above the sink. All that is visible are the dull, moon-lit waves and the clouds above.

"If you wish," Red replies, returning the broom to the wall. "Well, I'm off to bed. Goodnight, Miss Touko."

"Goodnight!" I shout after him, keeping my eyes focused on his back until he leaves my sight. His footsteps fade into the muffled clock-ticks, leaving me to my thoughts.

Why has he lost interest so suddenly? What's caused him to gain such a lack of emotion? It's almost painful for me to watch him distance himself from me. It's like he doesn't want to see me. Like he doesn't want to know me. It hurts.

My eyes shift to the clock, and I realize it's already eleven-twenty at night. I stand from my spot on the sofa, and stretch my arms. My hand moves to the back of my head, scratching it as I yawn.

I blink at the lamp hardly illuminating the room, only a faint glow emitted from it. My feet glide over the floor, attempting to hide my footsteps from Red, who may or may not be awake.

With door key in sight, I quicken my pace. I snatch up the key, and turn it in my hands, allowing the cold metal to cool my palms.

I drift to the door, hesitating before inserting the key. After it makes itself comfortable in the lock, I turn it, allowing the door to swing free.

The chilly nighttime air greets me as I step outside. The moon shines over the sand, creating different shades of mingling colorless splotches. I push the door closed, and begin forwards, planning out my path. Maybe I'll go to the beach farther down the island, then maybe to the medicine place, just to see if they're open, and back to Red's house. It shouldn't be too long.

My feet carry me to the beach, and a small excitement grows inside me. It's wonderful to be able to experience the beauty of this island.

As the buildings move out of the way, the ocean comes in to view, my pace quickens. I don't plan to go in the water, but I plan to sit by it, and think. The usual faint roar of the waves grows as I approach it, increasing at the same pace that the smile is on my mouth.

The stars sparkle against the water, creating endless amounts of reflected lights. The moon, although obscured behind a cloud, occasionally peeks out to add to the white light on the ocean.

I slide my feet through the sand as I approach, allowing the soft substance to soothe what was in pain from today's adventure. I contemplate sitting, but if I do, I'll fall asleep, which won't be good. I kick the sand around a bit, keeping myself busy as my mind flies through various scenarios about Red.

Maybe he doesn't like me? But he kissed me just a few hours ago. Does he regret it? Maybe he thought I was a bad kisser! That must be it. Dang, I ruined it all with that one kiss. Or he possibly is just sick and wants time alone. But that would mean I'm sick. Oh god now I'll get N sick when we return tomorrow, and then he'll get the castle sick, and then all of Unova sick. Oh god what have I done?

A small sigh escapes my mouth, dismissing the ridiculous thought from my mind. I continue on my way, scanning the darkened buildings for the windowless medicine shop. It's actually not too far.

I approach the door of the building, and knock, quickly following it up by attempting to pull the door open. No response. I shrug, and wrap my arms around myself. It's gotten quite cold since I left Red's house.

I return back to the small, wood crafted house, open the door, and enter. I quickly, yet silently, shut it, and lock it back, quietly shuffling to the table where I got the key from, and returning it.

My eyes shift to the sofa, and I make my way to it, ready to sleep and forget the cold. I sit, and fall to my side, still holding my arms around me. Red keeps his house _freezing._

After laying in a fetal position, shivering, for several minutes, I stand, and make the decision to ask Red for a blanket.

I walk to his room, not afraid to make noise, and knock on the door. I don't receive a response, so I knock again.

"Yes?" He asks from behind the door.

"Can I come in?" I ask, hopping from one foot to the other.

"Hmm? Sure," he agrees. I grab the doorknob, and twist it.

"Red, the door's locked," I half-shout.

"Oh, sorry," he apologizes. Stumbling footsteps sound from inside the room, which are quickly followed by the noise of the door unlocking. After a moment's hesitation, the door swings open, revealing a tired looking Red.

He walks back to his bed, falling face first on top of it.

"Red," I start, approaching him," can I have a blanket?"

"Don't have any extra," he states, his face still against the sheets.

"Oh, well," I turn to the door,"

never-"

"We could share my bed. I mean, I'd get one side and you get the other..." He suggests, rolling to his back. His voice is slurred with exhaustion.

"Well I mean," I begin, actually considering his offer," if you really wouldn't mind."

He hesitates before restating his agreement in tired laughter," haha yeah Touko... It's no problem."

"Thanks," I reply with a nod.

"So you get the left side, and I get the right," he decides, scooting to the very edge of the bed.

"Sounds acceptable," I say, standing before it.

"Yup."

"How 'bout I sleep beneath the first layer of covers, and you sleep all the way beneath them," I suggest, pulling away the comforter on top.

"That's fine," he agrees, climbing beneath them all. I nod and make my way under the top blanket, positioning myself at the edge of the mattress. I pull the comforter to my chin, and smile slightly.

"Goodnight," I say, staring at the ceiling. I receive no reply other than the soft sound of his snores.

-N-

"So do you have any plans for where we're staying?" Hallie asks, throwing me questioning looks as we stroll down Nimbasa City's sidewalks in the dead of night.

"Well, I was planning just to stay at a hotel," I reply, watching a large, brightly lit restaurant window pass by.

"A _hotel_?" She asks, disappointment and anger flaring in her voice.

"I told you not to be angry at me," I state, keeping my eyes locked on another restaurant as it passes. "There's nowhere else to stay anyways," I finish. My eyes shift to her anger covered face, and I feel the temptation to laugh.

"How about we just stay with David?" She suggests, grabbing my arm to force me to turn towards a residential road.

"I don't think he likes me," I state, stumbling occasionally.

"Well too bad, we're staying there," she argues, pulling me quicker. For such a petite woman, her strength is surprisingly a lot.

"Um, no," I reply, yanking my arm out of her grip. I stop on the sidewalk.

"Um, YES," she echoes back to me.

"No Hallie, stop being so stubborn. I'm your king, and you'll do as I say," I command, glaring down at her. An expression of sorrow falls over her, and her posture slumps. "I'm sorry, but we can't stay there."

She shakes her head, and wipes at her cheeks," It's okay," she sobs," I just wanted t- to mend my relationship w- with him." I peer down at the girl, ready to laugh.

"Sob stories don't work on me, _Hallie_," I inform her, smiling. Her expression drops the sorrow and gains a neutral one. Her mouth moves as if she's muttering profanities. "Time to go!" I announce, turning and retracing the path we took.

"But really, N," she calls from where we were before. I spin on my heel, and return to her. "I really want to see David."

"Well, maybe if we can't find a hotel, we can stay with him," I agree, knowing that nothing of the sorts with never happen. I turn around, yet again, to the street, checking over my shoulder to make sure she's following.

We emerge back into the hustle and bustle of nighttime Nimbasa, quickly joining the river of people that have flooded the sidewalk. Before I step in, Hallie grabs my wrist.

"I don't want to get lost," she explains, her childlike voice emphasized by this statement.

"Okay," I agree, turning back to the mass of people.

I plunge in, Hallie trailing behind me, and begin following the flow to wherever it takes us.

My eyes get caught on ever bright building, hoping that I'll spot a hotel. Nothing seems to be appearing except for stores and the occasional apartment complex. Maybe we _will_ end up staying with David.

"Do you see anything like a hotel, Hallie?" I ask, glancing back at her. She shakes her head, her hair falling over her shoulders. I don't reply, keeping myself focused on finding a place to stay.

"We could stay at that really fancy hotel up ahead," she suggests, pointing forwards. "But it's probably too expensive," she quickly adds on.

"I guess we could stay there," I agree, changing my course in that direction. I ignore what she added on at the end about cost. We rush through the people, occasionally colliding with the ones unprepared, and then quickly cross the street.

The hotel looks beautiful from outside, even at night. Bright yellow lights light the beige marble, and a fountain, lit with white lights, is centered in front of the building. I'm the king, staying here shouldn't be a problem.

_A/N_

_So yeah, I cut the chapter short just cause I felt like it- umm... I have to let you guys know some thing- They're in Nimbasa, I will frequently (mistakenly) write Castelia City in it's place, unless I specify otherwise... *ahem* I would also like some constructive criticism please, either on the entire story or a chapter in specific, because I'm really looking to improve my writing. So, thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

I awake to the sound of undistinguishable words being whispered in my ear. My eyes shoot open, but I remain still. Where am I? I release a nervous sigh and turn to whoever is speaking to me.

After blinking in astonishment for a few moments, I finally realize it's Red. I instantly realize where I am, and my nerves are at ease.

"You're finally awake," he announces, smiling. I nod slowly, and rise to a sitting position.

"What time is it?" I ask, carefully scanning the room for a clock.

"Early," he replies, a smug grin developing on his face.

"Thanks," I reply with sarcasm, rolling my eyes. He smiles a bit larger for a second before rolling back to his side of the bed. He pushes himself off to the floor, landing with an over-exaggerated flourish.

"Someone's in a good mood today," I giggle, shifting towards the edge of the bed. I allow a short, tired breath to escape my mouth, and I step down to the floor.

"Hurry up, we have to be back to N's castle soon," He says, rushing out of the room. I blink in the direction he ran until the tired mechanics of my brain slowly realize that I need to get ready.

I trudge over to the dresser stationed at the foot of his bed, examining the wood drawers carefully. I reach a hand out to open one, but I stop just before sliding it open. These are probably Red's clothes. I retract my hand and glance at the closet.

I float in it's direction, already picturing what amazing clothes could await me. My feet halt just before the door, and I place a hand on the doorknob. After a moment's hesitation, I fling it open, and my eyes fall upon its contents.

Dresses. Nothing but frilly, lace-covered faded dresses.

"Red?" I whine, leaning my head back," there's only dresses here!"

"And?" He shouts back, his voice slightly muffled.

"They're dresses!" I complain, coughing afterwards.

"I know!" He yells in reply. I roll my eyes, and lean back to the clothes. I begin fingering through the dresses, each passing through my vision just long enough to examine the pattern and color scheme. Nothing catches my eye, and only a few are left. As I search though the remaining dresses, I sigh, and grab the final piece of clothing.

I shut the door and step back, examining the dress I've just chosen. It's medium in length, just above my knees. Lace lines the bottom of the fabric, adding a feminine touch to the otherwise boyish dress. It's top layer is made of a denim-looking fabric, with brass buttons holding the overall-like straps to the rest of the dress. A small white shirt, although separate, has been placed with it, probably to add just that much more girly-ness. I sigh, and float to the bedroom door. I shut it and fix the lock so it can't be opened from outside.

I take a step back, and hold the dress before me, taking one last look at it before I put it on.

Quickly, dropping the outfit to the floor, I begin undressing, haphazardly tossing my clothes about. I quickly follow that up by snatching the dress off of the ground and first slipping the shirt on, and then the dress itself. I adjust my hair before looking at myself in the mirror propped up on the wall.

I'm not too satisfied by the girl looking back at me. Her hair is a mess, and her makeup-less face provides no beautiful additions to her outfit. The dress, despite the rest of her appearance, fits her wonderfully, the hem of the dress falling just above her knees.

"Touko, hurry up!" Red's voice calls from the other room. I trudge over to the door, and open it with force. I enter the main room of the house, and glare at Red.

"I apologize Red. I was just having DIFFICULTIES, with this dress," I say, glaring at my bare feet. He lets out a small chuckle, and approaches me.

"That's okay. But, we'll be leaving soon, so if you actually do plan to wear that on the way back, you better find a jacket," he suggests, turning to the counter.

"There's nothing else to wear though," I complain, following him.

He turns, and jokingly glares at me," are you asking to wear my clothes?" I stumble back in surprise.

"N- No, I never said anything of the sorts."

"Because if you'd like," he hesitates, eyeing me to see if I'd protest," and you're quick about it," another hesitation, probably for suspense," you can wear my clothes."

I smile and jump at him excitedly," thanks Red." I hug him, holding him in my arms until he pushes me away.

"Now hurry up, we're supposed to leave soon," he says. I nod and scurry back to the bedroom.

When I run in, I pull the door closed, and fly to the dresser containing his clothes. I hastily grab at the first drawer I see, and stop myself. Which drawer will more than likely have his clothes in it? I move my hand to the larger one below it, and pull it open. All it contains is a few pairs of blue jean pants. I nod to myself and take the nicest looking pair, maybe Red will let me cut them to look like shorts. I move on to the next largest drawer, which luckily, contains his shirts. I choose a pink shirt, and then close the drawer.

I quickly undress and then put on the new clothes. I look at myself I the mirror and smile. I look much better than I did in that dress.

"Okay Red, we can go now!" I shout, exiting his bedroom. He's already unlocking the front door when I enter the main room.

I slide to a halt as he slowly opens the front door, revealing the same darkness I walked in the night before.

"Do you have a jacket?" He asks, peering back at me before pushing the door all the way open.

"No, but I'll be fine," I reply, positive that I won't get cold.

"Okay, well just tell me if you get cold," he says, exiting the house.

I follow Red into the same clearing that we landed in, cold goosebumps beginning to form on my arms. He stops walking, and digs around in his bag until he retrieves a pokeball. With the flick of a hand, he silently calls Pidgeotto out of his ball.

"Well, it's time to leave. Do you have everything?" He asks, climbing on to the pokémon first. I nod, and approach Pidgeotto. As I begin to climb on, Red extends a hand, and I accept it, using him to help me. I settle myself behind Red, slightly less cold now that I'm near him.

"Okay Pidgeotto, take us to N's castle," he says, patting its head. With a small nod, the bird pokémon flaps its wings a few times, blowing sand around in the process, and then takes off.

-N-

When I step inside the hotel, the smell of strong perfume reaches me. It tickles my nose with such a force that I instantly feel the need to sneeze. I glance over at Hallie who is also cringing at the smell.

"Dear lord that smells strong," she states, covering her nose. I nod, copying her action.

Not much is in the main room. There's a reception desk against the back wall, and a huge fountain in the center of the floor.

I stand with Hallie, taking in the surroundings for a few moments, and then proceed forward to the desk. As I pass the fountain, water splashes on me, its cool liquid is slightly calming.

"Hello, welcome to the Nimbasa Hotel," the receptionist greets, forcing a fake smile on her face," what can I do for you this fine evening?"

"We would like a room, please," I reply.

"Would you like a large room or a small room?" She questions, turning to the computer next to her.

"The largest room you have," I pause, smiling," I am king after all."

She shifts her eyes up to me, sending a glare in my direction," that'll be ten thousand poké."

"But I'm king, shouldn't I get in free?"

"No, you do not appear to be the king, and unless you manage to prove it, you'll have to pay like everyone else."

I glance back at Hallie who has herself distracted with the water fountain.

"I'm afraid I don't have that much money with me," I reply, turning back to the receptionist.

"Then you can leave," she states, staring up at me. My mouth falls open.

"But I _am_ the _king_," I whine, ready to begin a temper tantrum.

"Sir, _unless_ you can prove it you have to pay or leave."

I frown at her, and stomp over to Hallie," we're going," I angrily mutter to her.

"So we get to stay at David's house?" She asks, a small smile playing on her face.

I forcefully sigh," yes." Hallie does a small jump, and then rushes towards and out of the door.

_A/N_

_Eh. I was lazy with this chapter. Not my best writing ever, definitely not. I didn't even proof read it so autocorrect probably got the best of me. Sorry for the long wait for a chapter, I really didnt have much motivation to write it, and I've been freaking out over a lot of things. but, Happy late Valentines Day! Thanks for reading and had a nice day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

-Touko-

Pain slowly fills my head as our altitude increases.

"Red," I start, gripping my forehead," my head hurts." He glances back at me a few times, his expression growing more concerned with every look.

"Well, we can't stop now," he says, attempting to flatten his hair in spite of the wind.

"I'm cold," I complain, slightly regretting my decision not to bring a jacket.

"You want my jacket?" He asks, raising his eyebrows. I nod. With a few swift moments, Red takes the article of clothing off, and slides it back to me.

"Thank you," I whisper as I pull the jacket on. Warmth quickly begins returning to me, and the soft smell of his cologne surrounds fills my nose. After several moments of enjoying the warm, I scoot close to Red, and wrap my arms around his waist. Resting my head against his back, I sigh.

"So when we get back to N's castle, what'll happen?" I ask, attempting to make conversation.

"We'll take the medicine to N," he replies, wrapping a hand around mine.

"And then?"

"We'll return to what we were doing before this, _adventure_," he explains. I stay silent for a moment, thinking over it.

"But will I see you again?"

He stiffens, gripping my hand tighter for a moment. With a small cough, he mumbles several words inaudible because of the wind. I keep quiet, keeping my head against his back. As we sit in silence, I watch the small islands pass beneath us.

"Do you still have a headache?" He asks, his voice vibrating through him.

After a moment's hesitation, I reply," no."

"That's good," he says, looking back and smiling. I shift my eyes up to his, and give him a small grin. A yawn forces its way out of my mouth, and I shift yet again. Sleep slowly crawls out of hiding, eventually taking over me.

When I awake, the sun glares down at me.

"Where are we?" I ask, leaning back, allowing the cool air to fly over me.

"We have about an hour left," he states, his voice completely void of emotion.

"That's good," I say, laughing lightly. He responds with silence. The smile I had before, quickly fades to nothing but a small, forced grin.

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon, Miss Touko," he says, his voice firm.

After hesitating a moment, I blink at his back," are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"I assure you, Miss Touko, that I'm fine."

"What's wrong?" I ask, growing concerned. He stays quiet. "Red, seriously."

"Miss Touko, _seriously_"

"Red, I know something's wrong," I say. Why could he be angry? I'm sure nothing's happened since I fell asleep earlier.

"And?"

"It's bothering me."

"Well, it's not of importance."

I glare at him, tempted to kick him in the back.

I let out a frustrated sigh, and stare at the water below. It's beautiful, how the surface of the water shines against the depths of the abyss it is. How many secrets are probably held within the clear yet dark void. It's tempting to see what's beneath. To break through the thin surface of the ocean and delve down into the unknown. It's could be beautiful, teeming with life of every kind. But then again, it could be empty, like a shell, just as one would think an abyss would be.

"The ocean is beautiful," I say, smiling slightly. Red lets out what I believe to be an agreeing grunt, but nothing more.

Anger swells inside me, and I grit my teeth," Red, tell me what's wrong."

He hesitates," force won't work, Miss Touko."

"Just tell... Never mind Red, I'll let you be angry by yourself. Tell me when you're ready to talk," I say, pouting and crossing my arms.

He shifts, and then turns to me, tears in his eyes.

"It's really not of importance, but if you want me to tell you, I will," he says, swiping at his eyes before the tears could fall. I nod, keeping my face expressionless.

"So, I'm just sad about leaving Cianwood and returning to," he hesitates," normal."

"This isn't normal?" I wait for a reply, and then quickly add on," I mean, living in Cianwood."

He turns back to look at me, and through his tear-filled eyes, a glare beams through.

"No."

Within this moment, hatred begins working its way through whatever feelings I had before. It's pushing the love, passion, anything that compelled me to feel connected to him.

"I suggest you check your belongings, we'll be landing soon, Miss Touko."

-N-

I watch from the sidewalk as Hallie skips up to David's door. With a quick motion, she knocks, waits, and then knocks again.

Slowly, the door creaks open, revealing a tired looking David. His mouth moves with inaudible words, and he motions for Hallie to come inside. His eyes meet mine, and he waves me over.

"You can only stay for a night, got it _N_?" He says, following me in," I'm only letting you stay 'cause of Hallie."

"Thank you," I say, nodding. He rolls his eyes and walks off

His house is small, cozy more than not. It's definitely more comfortable than my castle. But, considering this house belongs to David, I feel a special hatred towards it.

I drift quietly behind David, hoping he'll give me some direction as to where I'm sleeping.

"Do you need something?" He questions, sounding annoyed.

"Ah yes, where I be sleeping?"

"Oh the couch," he replies, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder.

Without hesitation, I waltz over to the beaten up piece of furniture. He looks to me, a curious expression perched upon the thin features of his face. A laugh is about to fall from my mouth, when Hallie steps in, approaching David with what most would consider a seductive walk.

Her eyes full of lust, her sights linger on him, hungry for the man she loves," hurry up David." He rolls eyes eyes, already fed up with her sour attempts at seducing him.

The two exit the room, leaving me to the old couch and a cheap television. I plop down on the furniture, quickly adjusting the pillow beneath my head to a more comfortable position. I allow myself to stare at the ceiling for a few moments before turning to the television. Static litters the piece of trash, and I don't even attempt to change the channel. I quickly snatch up the remote, turn the television off, and replace the plastic controller to it's place on the unclean glass coffee table.

I raise a hand behind me, and wave it about until it lightly collides with a lamp. My fingers fumble around the switch until I finally get a steady grip on it, and I turn it off.

Uneven silence fills my ears, and I feel the temptation to turn the tv back on. After a mini debate in my head, I decide against it, and roll to face away from the television.

I awkwardly hold my head away from the back vision of the couch while I allow silence to envelope me. Despite how I position myself, I am unable to prevent the smell of musty sweat and other various liquids from slowly attacking my nose. I roll back to my other side, and slam my eyes shut.

_A/N_

_I apologize for the long wait, I've been caught up with school, and extremely unnecessary drama, and yeah, I know you don't want to hear about it. I wrote this chapter/worked on it every few weeks, so like, it might seem inconsistent. Endbdjdnkdmdmd love you guys, I'll be back soon (and thanks for reading!)_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**-Touko-**

I step off of Pidgeotto gracefully, watching my footing on the soft, dew covered grass. My head is swirling with a torrent of thoughts; I can hardly keep my eyes straight. Red passes me in my haze, paying no mind to the fact that I'm unable to comprehend my surroundings. He shoots no worried glances, gives no concerned looks. Nothing.

I use Pidgeotto for support as I stumble over to Red, who is now muttering words of support to his faithful friend.

"Red?" I manage to force out. He looks at me, the same emotionless stare as usual, burns in to me.

I stand still for a moment, waiting for a reply, when he turns away. Red strides past me, in all of my struggles, stopping near the doors. In a few quick movements, he calls Pidgeotto back, causing me to lose my balance, and fall. I allow myself to lay sprawled out in the dirt and grass, allowing my clothes to be soaked with water from both the ocean, and the morning. For a moment, it felt good to do nothing. To relax.

I hear footsteps, the sliding of the castle doors, and then their final _click_.

I breathe heavily through my nose, taking in the smells of nature. I force a breath out of my mouth. I slam my eyes shut, and grit my teeth. This is the worst headache I've had so far. I breathe in from between my teeth, taking in less air than I'd prefer.

I roll to my back, getting my first look at the blurry sky since I was in it. The blue, smudged in to the white of the clouds, meeting a shaky boarder with the rectangle that N's castle is. It's beautiful.

I open my mouth, and suck another breath in, feeling slightly more satisfied than before, despite the pain. I clench the grass beneath me, almost, and occasionally, ripping it from it's home.

And then tears. Tears begin flowing from my eyes. Down my cheeks. Past my ears. On to the grass. Some are from the pain I'm enduring, while others are from regret. Regret that I allowed myself to fall for such a man as Red. Regret that I even agreed to going on this mission. Regret towards everything I've done, to get me to this point.

I release the grass from my grip, and run hands through my hair, which has successfully spilled all over the ground. I shut my eyes yet again, and relief floods to my head. No more pain, _at least for now_.

As the tears begin to slow, I hear the door open again. I hear the footsteps. I hear the _click_.

"Touko," he starts, the person approaching quickly," N's in Nimbasa City."

I open my eyes, and stare up at the man speaking. His words pass through me, not taking time to process.

"And?" I ask, pulling myself up to a sitting position. Pain quickly shoots through me, and I grit my teeth. M eyes fly shut, and I hold my head with one hand, using the other to support me.

"Are you okay?" He asks. I peer up at him, watching his blur of a hand extending towards me. It stops just inches from my face. I stare at it, unblinking. It's form shifts in to what must be a fist. He retracts his hand, but continues looming over me.

"Are you coming or not?" His words are short, angry.

I want to speak, but the words won't move. Red stays silent for a few moments. "I'll take that as a 'no'," he accepts, marching a few paces away. I close my eyes, listening to his actions. The doors never slide open, so I know he stays out with me.

Suddenly, Pidgeotto's cry sounds from beside me.

"If you're not going," he hesitates," then I will alone." I open my eyes for a split second, to see him above me again.

"I'll", I cough," I'll go."

**-N-**

Morning came slowly. My sleep was constantly being interrupted by the rodents and insects scratching from inside the walls.

I force myself to a sitting position, and glance over at the clock. _7:15_.

In spite of the silence still floating through the house, I flip on the television, and head over to the kitchen. I open the refrigerator, and stare at the contents. There's a large supply of food, but most of it appears to be rotting, old, or just outright nasty. I grab a carton of what appears to be non-spoiled milk, and return to the couch. I open the carton, and thankfully, the milk is still okay.

After a few minutes of watching a mindless, children's show, I hear struggling footsteps from the tiny hallway across the room. It's Hallie.

"Good-" she yawns," morning N..."

"Good morning Hallie. I see you've had a good sleep." Words feel strange coming from my mouth.

"It was amazing," she says, giggling and stumbling over next to me. She collapses on to the cushion beside mine, giggles erupting from her every once in a while.

I nod at her statement, opening the clean side of the milk carton. I bring the box to my mouth, and take a large gulp of the liquid.

"We're leaving in an hour," I announce to her. She falls in to another laughing fit, and rolls to the floor.

"Hallie!" Another voice shouts from the room Hallie and David must have been in," come get your stuff!"

In a heap of giggles, she stands, and half-strides, half-skips to where David is. I wish I knew how she found that man attractive. He's so rude.

_A/N_

_So guys, here's chapter 17. Crappy, I know. Rushed? Extremely. I'm sorry for the slow updates, as I said in the last chapter's author's note, I've been having issues and such. I'll try to keep updates close together and what not, but whatever. Thanks for reading, have a nice day._

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

-Touko-

As the Pokemon ascends, my headache does nothing but get worse. Before take off, it was just a simple annoyance compared to this monstrosity bombarding my head.  
My eyes slam shut as another wave of horrendous pain surges through me. The sudden feeling to throw up has hit me. I wrap an arm around my stomach, and put the other on my head.  
"Red," I say, hoping my voice was loud enough to hear," I don't feel good." A soft grunt of what I take as understanding drifts back to me. No help. He's just gonna leave me back here, dying in the severe pain my head is causing.  
"Red can I lay down?" I ask, looking at the back of his head. His hair is ruffled, and sort of beautiful without his hat. I'm not sure why I haven't noticed this before.  
Red does not speak, but we begin our awkward shuffle to switch places. His eyes catch mine for the brief second we face each other, but he quickly turns away. I shift into a comfortable position in front of Red, and allow myself to fall backwards onto his lap, or arms, who knows, or even cares? I get to sleep, and get rid of this headache.

I wake to the sound of the ocean hitting sand. Air blows around me, we must still be in the air. My head doesn't hurt as much as earlier, but there's still a slight pain.  
I open my eyes, and look at Red. He doesn't seem to notice that I've awoke, and keeps his focus forward.  
"Red," I say. He looks down, and smiles slightly. I hold his stare for only a moment, when something shifts behind his eyes, and he looks away. Hopefully I didn't talk in my sleep. "How close are we to Nimbasa City?"

"Fifteen minutes," he replies immediately as the word 'city' leave my mouth. The corners of his lips twitch, and his eyes are half closed. I quickly sit up and readjust my focus towards him.

"Are you okay?"

"You spoke in your sleep Touko," whatever was in his eyes before has been replaced with red-hot flaming fury.

"An-"

"You cried too. Talking about some, _man,_" his words are like venom," I don't know who this _man_ is Touko, but you were crying over him. Mumbled a few things about how you wanted him to forgive you, how you _loved _him, how you were wrong and he was _right._"

"Are you _jealous_?" I ask, flinching away at his glare," how do you know that man isn't _you_, huh?"

"Why would it be me Touko? Tell me. You don't love me. What we had the other day, nothing. Just two teens, caught up in stupid, ugly, fake, _love_." Each word is like a sword, cutting through me until I bleed out.

"Red," my voice is shaking, I'm struggling to keep calm," you're angry at me, over a _dream_."

"A damn realistic dream, that is. Touko, I was sent with you on this mission for one thing, and one thing only, to supervise you. Not to play boyfriend. Not to cater to your, teenage romance desires. Yeah, all we did was kiss, but I know it mean a whole heck of a lot more to you, than it did to me," he pauses to take a breath. His face is red with anger, and his hands are trembling," Touko, I'm sorry you have to hear it now, but this relationship_ just won't work._" Tears are welling up in my eyes, I can't look at him anymore.

"Red," his name comes out weak and in a sob," _please_."

"See? It's your dream all over again. The crying. The pleading. Heck, next thing ya' know, you're gonna be telling me you _love_ me," his eyes burn into me.

"I never said I loved you, Red," I say, keeping my eyes focused on the horizon behind his head. The sky is too clear for a situation like this.

"Well, now's your chance, _sweetheart_. Say anything you want now, 'cause as soon as I drop you off with N, I'm outta here."

"Why are you so angry?" is what I manage to say. There were a million things rushing through my mind, 'I'm sorry', 'forgive me', 'I didn't mean it', 'it was just a dream'. My headache is pounding, my vision struggling to stay clear.

His eyes lock onto mine for a moment," I should've never kissed you." Those words kill me. In that moment, everything disappears, and I'm taken back to the moment when his lips met mine. Soft and delicate. It was an experience like nothing else.

"If you're not going to say anything else," his harsh words snap me out of my dazed sort of state," you can turn back around and stop crying. I don't need another _problem_ to deal with." I nod, still regaining my awareness, and turn my back to him.

I should feel hatred towards Red, but for some reason, I can't bring myself to. Do I still feel attracted to him? I honestly don't know. The let down he gave me is just too much. Maybe he'll change his ways, forgive me- stop it Touko. I heave a breath in and out, you're just getting your hopes up. He said it won't work out. Accept it.

The small splotches of land dotting themselves on top of the blue ocean beneath, begin to melt together into a larger mass. We're almost there. I would ask if Red wanted to switch places, so he could sit in front, but his anger towards me earlier tells me otherwise.

As Pidgeotto begins to descend, my headache begins to fade, thankfully. With one hand clutching the bird Pokemon's feathers, I peer over the side of it. We're completely over land now, and if I look close enough, I can see our shadow.

Eventually, the city is rushing towards us with mighty and powerful speed. Only mere moments until me patting with Red. The thought brings me sadness, along with the slight sense of relief. I don't think I could bear anymore of his hurtful remarks.

Soon enough Pidgeotto slows, and plants her talons firmly onto the pavement. I feel Red move behind me, and then the sound of feet hitting pavement. Here comes the goodbye, or a lack there of.

I slide to the ground, and avoid his eyes for a moment before lifting my head. Red has his attention fixed on me, his brown eyes calm and contained, the complete opposite of earlier.

"Red," I release his name in a sigh," I'm real sorry. I was a fool."

Before I know it, he's wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me close. His heart is beating rapidly, I can feel it through his shirt.

"Touko, I'm going to miss you," he whispers, his voice shaking not from anger, but from what sounds like sadness. I choose not to speak, but simply wrap my arms around his waist. I don't know why he's doing this, hugging me. He's just going to leave and forget about it, abandoning me with these mixed, and very confused feelings.

"I told you that we won't, and will not work out. It's true," he says. I keep my eyes fixed anywhere but his," it was great getting to know you. I'll definitely miss you, no doubt. We probably won't see each other again, so it's best you forget about me and move on. I know it's tough to hear, but it's better than being left without an explanation. You know I work a lot. I work all around the world. Maybe we will meet up, by chance, but it will be short, and formal. Don't expect anything more than a brief handshake." He tightens his arms around me, and I try my best to fight the tears. "It was a pleasure accompanying you, Miss Touko." He releases me, and gives me the most handsome smile I've ever seen. Without hesitation, he turns, and climbs back onto Pidgeotto. We lock eyes a moment more, and the two take off.

_A/N_

_So yeah guys. That just happened. I know exactly what's gonna happen in the next chapter BUT noooooo spoilers. Anyways, feel free to review or whatever, I know it takes awhile to read all the way to chapter 18, but lol, that's okayyy... ANNNNYWAYS thanks for reading everyone, and have a super fantabulous day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


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